gingivitis

gingivitis

gingivitis (jĭnˌjəvīˈtĭs), inflammation of the gums. It may be acute, subacute, chronic, or recurrent. The gums usually become red, swollen, and spongy, and bleed easily. Chronic gingivitis is the usual form, resulting from irritating bacteria or debris, food impaction, or poor dental restoration. It can also accompany vitamin C deficiency or metabolic disturbances such as diabetes. If left untreated, it can lead to the more serious pyorrhea, with gum destruction and loosening of teeth. Trench mouth, an ulcerative infection of the gums and mouth, is sometimes referred to as a form of gingivitis.

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The following article is from The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979). It might be outdated or ideologically biased.

Gingivitis

 

a disease of the gums characterized by inflammation, dystrophy, and so on.

Gingivitis may develop from the action of unfavorable external factors on the gum tissues (intoxication with lead, manganese, bismuth, or other toxins), but may also be a manifestation of the irritation of the body’s local or general reactivity. Under the action of harmful factors on the mucous membrane of the gum, first the gingival papilla and then neighboring portions of the mucosa become inflamed. Bleeding and soreness of the gums appears. With prolonged action of harmful factors, a destructive process may develop—the formation of ulcers or erosions on the gingival mucosa. When necrotic sections appear as a result of intoxication, the general condition of the body declines, body temperature rises, and the patient suffers from headache, weakness, excessive perspiration, insomnia, and a putrid odor from the mouth. Gingivitis has a tendency toward frequent exacerbations, which arise simultaneously with the aggravation of any disease of the gastrointestinal tract. Treatment is directed toward removing the basic disease and harmful factors. Gingivitis can be prevented by cleaning the teeth without fail, systematic removal of dental plaque, and timely treatment of the teeth and the mucosa of the oral cavity.

REFERENCE

Rukovodstvo po terapevticheskoi stomatologii. Edited by A. I. Evdokimov. Moscow, 1967.

V. N. ISAEV

The Great Soviet Encyclopedia, 3rd Edition (1970-1979). © 2010 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

gingivitis

[‚jin·jə′vīd·əs]

(medicine)

Inflammation of the gingiva.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

gingivitis

inflammation of the gums

Collins Discovery Encyclopedia, 1st edition © HarperCollins Publishers 2005