Gingivitis Workup

  • Author: James M Stephen, MD, FAAEM, FACEP; Chief Editor: Steven C Dronen, MD, FAAEM   more...
 
Updated: May 8, 2012
 

Laboratory Studies

  • Laboratory testing is not helpful in diagnosing gingivitis.
  • If systemic disease or toxin exposure is suspected, laboratory tests should be requested.
  • A smear to identify the causative agent may be helpful.
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Imaging Studies

  • Imaging studies are not indicated.
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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

James M Stephen, MD, FAAEM, FACEP  Assistant Professor, Tufts University School of Medicine; Attending Physician, Director of Medical Informatics and Graduate Education, Department of Emergency Medicine, Tufts Medical Center

James M Stephen, MD, FAAEM, FACEP is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine and American College of Emergency Physicians

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Michael Glick, DMD  Dean, University of Buffalo School of Dental Medicine

Michael Glick, DMD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Oral Medicine and American Dental Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD  Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Medscape Salary Employment

Mark W Fourre, MD  Program Director, Department of Emergency Medicine, Maine Medical Center; Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Surgery, University of Vermont School of Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

John D Halamka, MD, MS  Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; Chief Information Officer, CareGroup Healthcare System and Harvard Medical School; Attending Physician, Division of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

John D Halamka, MD, MS is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, American Medical Informatics Association, Phi Beta Kappa, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Steven C Dronen, MD, FAAEM  Chair, Department of Emergency Medicine, LeConte Medical Center

Steven C Dronen, MD, FAAEM is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Additional Contributors

Special thanks to Robert J. Lindberg, DMD, for images and excellent dental care.

The authors and editors of Medscape Reference gratefully acknowledge the medical review of this article by Tyson Pillow, MD.

References

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Healthy mouth and gingiva. Note the healthy light pink color of the gingiva. The intradental papillae are sharp and fill the intradental space. No local edema is present. Image courtesy of Robert J. Lindberg, DMD.
Moderate chronic gingivitis. Note that the papillae are edematous and blunted. They may bleed with brushing. Note areas of edema overlying some of the root areas. Pallor is seen in these areas. Image courtesy of Robert J. Lindberg, DMD.
Severe periodontal disease. Loss of the gingival tissue is seen, making the teeth appear long. Even more effacement of the papillae is present. Heaped up ridges are observed in the areas overlying the roots. Image courtesy of Robert J. Lindberg, DMD.
 
 
 
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