Periodontal Disease

Periodontal Disease

Question 1. Discuss common chronic inflammatory conditions in relation to dental pathology.

Answer:

Chronic inflammation and degeneration of supporting tissues of teeth resulting in teeth loss is a common condition.

• Inflammatory periodontal diseases affect adults more commonly.
• Pregnancy, puberty and use of drugs like Dilantin are also associated with periodontal disease more often.
• The disease begins as chronic marginal gingivitis, secondary to bacterial plaques around the teeth such as due to calculus on the tooth surface, impacted food, uncontrolled diabetes, tooth decay and ill-fitting dental appliances.
• The gingival sulcus acts as a convenient site for the lodgment of food debris and bacterial plaque leading to the formation of periodontal pockets from which purulent discharge can be expressed by digital pressure.
• Pathological Features: Chronic marginal gingivitis is characterized by heavy chronic inflammatory cell infiltrate, destruction of collagen and epithelial hyperplasia so as to line the pocket. Untreated chronic marginal gingivitis slowly progresses to chronic periodontitis or pyorrhea.

Periodontal disease treatment

Question 2. Discuss in briefly granulomatous inflammation.
Or
Write a short note on granuloma.
Answer:

Granulomatous Inflammation

Granulomatous inflammation is a distinctive pattern of chronic inflammatory reaction characterized by the presence of granulomas.

Granuloma is defined as a circumscribed tiny lesion, about 1 mm in diameter composed predominantly of a collection of modified macrophages called epithelioid cells and rimmed at the periphery by lymphoid cells.

Evolution of Granuloma

Constituents of Granuloma

• Epithelioid cells
• Lymphoid cells
• Giant cells
• Necrosis
• Fibrosis.

Periodontitis vs gingivitis

Examples of Granulomatous Inflammation

• Tuberculosis
• Syphilis
• Leprosy
• Fungal infection.

Fate of Granuloma