Definition of Phagedenic gingivitis

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.