Gingivitis
Pronunciation: jin-jih-VY-tis
Inflammation of the gingiva (gums), typically caused by plaque accumulation, characterised by redness, swelling, and bleeding on probing, and reversible with adequate oral hygiene.
Full Definition
Gingivitis is the mildest and most common form of periodontal disease, in which inflammation is confined to the gingival tissues without loss of the underlying supporting bone or attachment. It is classified as plaque-induced or non-plaque-induced in current periodontal classification systems (2017 World Workshop on the Classification of Periodontal and Peri-implant Diseases). Editors should note that 'gingivitis' does not involve bone loss — once bone loss is present, the correct term is 'periodontitis'. Gingivitis is always lowercase unless beginning a sentence. It should not be hyphenated. The adjectival form is 'gingivitic', though 'gingival inflammation' is more commonly used in clinical writing.
Usage
Usage note: Key editorial distinction: gingivitis involves no bone or attachment loss (reversible); periodontitis does (irreversible). Ensure these are not used interchangeably in clinical reports or patient correspondence.
In Context
- "The patient was diagnosed with plaque-induced gingivitis and given detailed oral hygiene instruction." — Dental examination and treatment note
- "The practice leaflet was revised to clarify the difference between gingivitis and periodontitis for patients." — Patient education material review