The periodontist will also take a small measuring instrument called a probe and place it between the teeth and gums to determine the depth of those spaces, known as periodontal pockets; this helps the periodontist assess the health of the gums.
The ground substance of connective tissue is different from all of these fluids; it is the liquid medium through which these other fluid exchanges take place.
The type I collagen fibers of the dense irregular connective tissue are surrounded by small amounts of ground substance. Among the collagen fibers there is a network of elastic fibers as well, to limit the distensibility of the tissue. Ground substance is amorphous and gel-like in texture that surrounds cells.