Phagedenic gingivitis
This is trench mouth, a progressive painful infection with ulceration, swelling and sloughing off of dead tissue from the gums due to infection.
Certain germs (including fusiform bacteria and spirochetes) have been thought to be involved, but the full story behind this long- known disease is still not clear.
This condition is also called Vincent’s angina after the French physician Henri Vincent (1862-1950). The word “angina” comes from the Latin “angere” meaning “to choke or throttle.” Treatment includes removal of plaque and tarter from the teeth. In some cases, mouth rinses and antibiotics are also used.
As with most poorly understood diseases, phagedenic gingivitis goes by many other names including acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis (ANUG), acute membranous gingivitis, fusospirochetal gingivitis, fusospirillosis, fusospirochetal gingivitis, fusospirochetal gingivitis, ulcerative gingivitis, Vincent’s gingivitis, Vincent’s infection, and Vincent’s stomatitis.
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- Phago-
phagocyte, a cell that can engulf particles; and phagophobia, an excessive fear of eating.
- Phagocyte
A cell that can engulf particles, such as bacteria and other microorganisms or foreign matter. The principal phagocytes include the neutrophils and monocytes, both of which are types of white blood cells.
- Phagocytosis
The process by which a cell engulfs particles such as bacteria, other microorganisms, aged red blood cells, foreign matter, etc. The principal phagocytes include the neutrophils and monocytes (types of white blood cells). The prefix “phago-” comes from the Greek “phago” meaning “to eat.”
- Phalangeal
Pertaining to a phalanx (a bone in the finger or toe).
- Phalanges
The bones of the fingers and of the toes. There are generally three phalanges (distal, middle, proximal) for each digit except the thumbs and large toes. The singular of phalanges is phalanx.