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Dental Disease Glossary
abscess - Localized collection
of pus in a tissue, organ or confined space.
aerobe - Microorganism that
requires free oxygen.
alveolar bone - The
bone of the jaw in which teeth are anchored.
anaerobe - Microorganism
unable to survive in the presence of free oxygen.
atopic - Sensitive to antigens
that produce allergic-type symptoms.
bacteremia - Bacteria in
the circulating blood.
beta-lactamase - Bacterial
enzyme capable of inactivating beta-lactam antibiotics. Penicillinase and cephalosporinase
are both beta-lactamase inhibitors.
bid - Twice daily.
brachycephalic - Literally,
"short-headed." Refers to dogs with pushed-in faces, such as pugs, bulldogs and
boxers.
buccal - The tooth surface
that faces the cheek.
calculus - Tartar.
cementum - Connective tissue
covering the root of a tooth.
cortex - Hard outer layer of
bone.
crown - The part of the tooth
above the gum line.
debridement - Removing
debris and contaminated tissue from a wound to expose healthy surrounding tissue.
empyema - Pus in the chest
cavity.
endocarditis - Inflammation
of the endocardium, the membrane lining the cavities of the heart.
exudate - Fluid, cells and
cell debris.
facultative anaerobes - Capable
of surviving in aerobic or anaerobic conditions.
flora - Bacterial population.
furcation - The area where
the roots of a tooth divide.
gingiva - The gums.
gingivitis - Inflammation
or infection of the gums.
glycocalyx - The "slime"
produced by pathogenic bacteria that protects them from being destroyed by the
host's immune system. All pathogenic strains of Bacteroides produce a glycocalyx.
halitosis - Bad breath.
infection - Invasion and
multiplication of microorganisms in body tissues.
inflammation - A localized
protective response to tissue injury. Classic symptoms are pain, heat, redness,
swelling and loss of function.
ischemia - Reduced or obstructed
blood supply.
lingual - The tooth surface
that faces the tongue.
malocclusion - Misalignment
of teeth.
mandible - The lower jaw.
maxilla - The upper jaw.
minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC)
- The smallest concentration of drug that inhibits microbe growth.
necrosis - Cell and tissue
death.
osteomyelitis - Inflammation
of bone and its surrounding tissues.
pathogen - Disease-causing
microbe.
pathogenesis - A disease-causing
process.
periodontal - Having to
do with the teeth and their surrounding tissues.
periodontitis - Inflammation
of the tissues surrounding a tooth.
periosteum - Fibrous bone
sheath that provides nutrient blood and bone- developing cells for growth or regrowth
after fracture.
phagocyte - A blood cell
that engulfs and destroys foreign material.
phagocytosis - The engulfment
and destruction of pathogens by phagocytes.
placebo - An inactive substance
used in controlled studies to determine the efficacy of a drug.
plaque - Bacterial buildup
on the tooth enamel.
PMNs - Polymorphonuclear neutrophils.
White blood cells that surround and engulf pathogenic bacteria in a process called
phagocytosis.
PO - Per os, meaning to
administer orally.
polymicrobial - Involving
more than one microbe.
pulp chamber - A tooth's
root canal.
purulent - Containing pus.
pyoderma - Pus-associated
skin infection.
pyometra - Pus-filled uterus.
qid - Four times daily.
redox potential -
The oxidation-reduction capacity.
root canal - The inner
portion of the dentin. Also called the pulp chamber.
root planing - Scraping
calculus and tartar from the root surface inside periodontal pocket.
scaling - Removal of plaque
and tartar.
sepsis - The presence of pathogens
or their toxins in blood.
sequestrum - Cortical bone
that is isolated from its blood supply.
side effect - An unintended
adverse effect of drug therapy.
sign - Objective evidence of
disease or infection, such as a pus-filled wound.
sulcus - The crevice between
the gingival margin and the attached gingiva.
symptom - Subjective evidence
of disease, such as loss of appetite.
tartar - Mineralized plaque.
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