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Dental anatomy
Dental anatomy
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Trench mouth

Definition:
Trench mouth is a painful bacterial infection and ulceration of the gums (gingiva).

Alternative Names:
Vincent's stomatitis; Acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Trench mouth is a painful form of gingivitis (gum inflammation). The term "trench mouth" comes from World War I, when the disorder was common among soldiers.

The mouth normally contains a balance of different microorganisms. Trench mouth occurs when there is an overabundance of normal mouth bacteria resulting in infection of the gums, which develop painful ulcers. Viruses may be involved in allowing the bacteria to overgrow.

Risks include the following:

This disorder is rare. When it does occur, trench mouth most often affects adults younger than 35.



Review Date: 12/25/2002
Reviewed By: Jonathan Fanaroff, M.D., Department of Pediatrics, Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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