Periodontal diseases are considered a public health problem due to their high prevalence worldwide, so the authors set out to describe the role of periodontal pathogens in the onset and progression of chronic periodontitis. The documentary analysis method was used and a total of 18 bibliographies were reviewed. Current scientific evidence supports the association between periodontal pathogens and the development of periodontitis, demonstrating that bacteria such as Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia and Treponema denticola play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of periodontal disease by triggering inflammatory responses and promoting the destruction of tooth-supporting tissues.