Inflammation, Repair, and Oral Pathology for Dental Hygienists

Vocabulary flashcards covering core topics in oral pathology, tissue injury, inflammation dynamics, repair mechanisms, and clinical dental conditions.

Classic Signs of Inflammation

Redness, heat, swelling, pain, and loss of normal tissue function.

Systemic Signs of Inflammation

Fever, leukocytosis, elevated C-reactive protein (CRP), and lymphadenopathy.

Hyperemia

Increased blood flow in capillary beds of injured tissue, resulting in redness and heat.

Exudate

A body fluid with a high protein content that leaves the microcirculation during an inflammatory response.

Neutrophil

A white blood cell characterized by a multilobed nucleus that performs phagocytosis and constitutes 60% to 70% of the white blood cell population.

Macrophage

A white blood cell that performs phagocytosis, derives from monocytes in tissue, and plays a role in the immune system.

Hematopoietic Stem Cell Lineage

The differentiation pathway originating from stem cells that gives rise to neutrophils, monocytes/macrophages, mast cells, eosinophils, B lymphocytes, and T lymphocytes.

Chemotaxis

The directed movement of white blood cells toward the site of injury.

Phagocytosis

The process by which white blood cells ingest and digest foreign substances.

Kinin System

A system active in early phases of inflammation that causes increased dilation and permeability of blood vessels.

Complement System

A system involving a cascade of plasma proteins that function in inflammation and immunity.

Prostaglandins

Biochemical mediators that cause increased vascular dilation and permeability, tissue pain, and redness.

Leukocytosis

An increase in the number of white blood cells in the blood, typically from $10,000$ to $30,000/\text{mm}^3$ during systemic inflammation.

Pyrogens

Fever-producing substances produced by white blood cells and pathogens that act on the hypothalamus.

Edema

An excess level of plasma or exudate in the interstitial space that results in tissue swelling.

Fistula

An abnormal passage that leads from an abscess to an outside body surface.

Abscess

A collection of purulent exudate.

Emigration

The process by which white blood cells escape from blood vessels through gaps in endothelial cells.

Lymphadenopathy

Enlarged and palpable superficial lymph nodes due to changes in lymphocytes.

Hyperplasia

An increase in the number of cells in a tissue or organ.

Hypertrophy

Enlargement of individual cells.

C-Reactive Protein (CRP)

A nonspecific mucoprotein produced in the liver that interacts with the complement system and is used clinically to assess inflammation, rheumatoid arthritis, and systemic lupus erythematosus, monitor tissue healing, and detect early infections.

Chronic Inflammation

Inflammation caused by persistent injuries where repair cannot be completed until the source of injury is removed.

Granulomatous Inflammation

Formation of granulomas, which are microscopic groupings of macrophages surrounded by lymphocytes and plasma cells.

Inflammatory Cell Response Timeline

The relative amounts of cellular involvement over time during the transition from acute to chronic inflammation and immune response, progressing from neutrophils to macrophages and lymphocytes/plasma cells.

Regeneration

The process by which injured tissue is replaced with tissue identical to that present before the injury.

Scar Tissue

Matured, fibrous connective tissue that is whiter and paler due to increased collagen and decreased vascularity.

Healing by Primary Intention

Healing of an injury with little loss of tissue where surgical or wound margins are close together and little granulation tissue forms.

Healing by Secondary Intention

Healing where tissue loss prevents joining of injury edges, leading to a large clot, increased granulation tissue, and increased scar tissue.

Healing by Tertiary Intention

Delaying surgical tissue repair until an infection is resolved, commonly used for infected injuries.

Osteoblasts

Cells responsible for creating new bone tissue during bone repair.

Attrition

Tooth-to-tooth wear that may be observed in both primary and permanent dentition.

Bruxism

Grinding and clenching teeth for nonfunctional purposes, often leading to wear facets and muscle tenderness.

Abrasion

Pathologic wearing away of tooth structure due to repetitive mechanical habits.

Abfraction

Microfracture of tooth structure in areas of stress concentration, appearing as wedge-shaped lesions at cervical areas.

Erosion

Loss of tooth structure due to chemicals without bacterial involvement, often linked to dietary habits.

'Meth Mouth'

Rapid destruction of teeth due to methamphetamine use, characterized by decreased salivary flow and poor oral hygiene.

Aspirin Burn

A necrotic and painful ulcer caused by the topical application of aspirin, which usually heals in 7 to 21 days.

Linea Alba

A white, raised line on the buccal mucosa at the occlusal plane, often resulting from a teeth-clenching habit.

Sialolith

A calcified structure that forms in the salivary glands, potentially causing obstruction and discomfort.

Phenol Burn

A chemical burn caused by phenol, a cavity-sterilizing agent, leading to tissue destruction and sloughing.

Nicotinic Stomatitis

A benign lesion associated with pipe or cigar smoking, characterized initially by erythema and progressing to increased opacity with keratinization and raised red areas.

Acute Sialadenitis

An inflammation of the salivary glands that can be acute or chronic, often resulting in swelling and pain.

Tobacco Pouch Keratosis

A white lesion in the mucobuccal fold caused by the placement of chewing tobacco, with early lesions appearing granular or wrinkled.

Traumatic Neuroma

A painful, raised lesion caused by injury to a peripheral nerve.

Amalgam Tattoo

A flat, bluish-gray lesion caused by the introduction of amalgam into oral tissue.

Melanin Pigmentation (Melanosis)

Normal physiologic pigmentation of the oral mucosa that may be genetic or post-inflammatory.

Solar Cheilitis

Degeneration of lip tissue caused by sun exposure, leading to dry, cracked lips and increased risk of cancer.

Mucocele

A lesion formed when a salivary gland duct is severed, causing mucous secretion to spill into connective tissue.

Traumatic Ulcer

An ulcer caused by trauma such as biting or irritation from dentures, usually healing within 7 to 14 days.

Hematoma

An accumulation of blood within tissue due to trauma, appearing as a red to purple mass.

Frictional Keratosis

A form of hyperkeratosis caused by chronic friction against oral mucosa, resembling a callus.

Traumatic Granuloma

A hard, raised lesion resulting from persistent trauma, which heals rapidly after biopsy.

Ranula

A unilateral mucocele-like lesion that forms on the floor of the mouth, associated with the ducts of submandibular and sublingual glands.

Necrotizing Sialometaplasia

A benign condition of salivary glands characterized by moderately painful swelling and ulceration, thought to result from blockage of blood supply leading to necrosis.

Reactive Connective Tissue Hyperplasia

Proliferating, exuberant granulation tissue and dense fibrous connective tissue resulting from overzealous repair in response to a single event or chronic low-grade injury.

Pyogenic Granuloma

A proliferation of connective tissue containing numerous blood vessels and inflammatory cells occurring as a response to injury; a misnomer as it is neither pyogenic nor a true granuloma.

Pregnancy Tumor

A pyogenic granuloma seen in a pregnant woman, caused by hormonal changes and increased response to plaque; often regresses after delivery.

Peripheral Giant Cell Granuloma

A lesion containing many multinucleated giant cells, well-vascularized connective tissue, RBCs, and chronic inflammatory cells that resembles a pyogenic granuloma.

Peripheral Ossifying Fibroma

An exophytic, usually well-demarcated sessile or pedunculated gingival lesion appearing to emanate from the interdental papilla, composed of cellular fibrous connective tissue.

Irritation Fibroma

The most common mass on the gingiva, caused by trauma, appearing as a broad-based, persistent exophytic lesion composed of dense, scar-like connective tissue.

Epulis Fissuratum

A lesion caused by ill-fitting dentures, located in elongated folds of tissue adjacent to the denture flange, composed of dense, fibrous connective tissue.

Inflammatory Papillary Hyperplasia

Denture-induced hyperplasia characterized by palatal mucosa covered by multiple erythematous papillary projections, often described as having a 'cobblestone' appearance.

Gingival Enlargement

An increase in the bulk of free and attached gingiva, especially the interdental papillae, which may be a reactive response to local irritants, hormonal changes, drugs, hereditary conditions, or idiopathic factors.

Chronic Hyperplastic Pulpitis

An excessive proliferation of chronically inflamed dental pulp tissue, usually asymptomatic, occurring in teeth with large, open carious lesions.

Periapical Abscess

An acute condition characterized by purulent exudate surrounded by connective tissue containing neutrophils and lymphocytes, often causing severe pain.

Periapical Granuloma

A localized mass of chronically inflamed granulation tissue forming at the opening of the pulp canal, generally at the apex of a nonvital tooth root.

Radicular Cyst

A true epithelium-lined cyst associated with the root of a nonvital tooth, identified as the most commonly occurring cyst in the oral region.

Residual Cyst

A cyst that forms after tooth extraction when all or part of a radicular cyst is left behind; treated by surgical removal.

Tooth Resorption

A condition where external resorption is non-reversible and begins at the outside of the tooth, while internal resorption is often associated with an inflammatory response in the pulp.

Focal Sclerosing Osteomyelitis

A change in the bone near the apices of teeth, thought to be a reaction to low-grade infection, generally asymptomatic and associated with pulpal inflammatory disease.

Alveolar Osteitis

A postoperative complication following tooth removal where the blood clot is lost before healing, leaving raw, exposed nerve endings, often occurring in mandibular third molar areas.