Trench Mouth

Definition: Trench Mouth

Trench Mouth

Noun

1. An acute communicable infection of the respiratory tract and mouth marked by ulceration of the mucous membrane.

Specialty Definition: Trench mouth

Trench mouth is a polymicrobial infection of the gums leading to inflamation, bleeding, deep ulceration and necrotic gum tissue, there may also be fever. It is also known as Vincent's stomatitis or acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis (ANUG).

The common name was probably coined during World War I when many soldiers suffered from the condition. There are a number of other theories to the origin of the name.

The condition is caused by an overpopulation of established mouth bacteria due to a number of interacting factors such as poor hygiene, poor diet, other infections and stress. Treatment is by the simple reduction of the bacteria through improved oral cleaning and salt water or hydrogen peroxide-based rinses. Metronidazole can also be used in addition.

Untreated the infection will lead to the loss of teeth from the rotting gums and can spread, as necrotizing stomatitis, into neighbouring tissues in the cheeks, lips or the bones of the jaw. The condition can occur and be especially dangerous in people with weakened immune systems.

Photo Album: Trench Mouth

Thumbnail	Description & Credit
	Serious outbreak of trench mouth among children checked in Chicago. Credit: Library of Congress.
Source: pictures compiled by the editor from various references; see picture credits.

Frequency of Internet Keywords: Trench Mouth

Anagrams: Trench Mouth

Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams
	Words within the letters "c-e-h-h-m-n-o-r-t-t-u"
	-4 letters: centrum, chetrum, chunter, cornute, cothurn, counter, couther, hutment, mounter, mouther, muncher, notcher, recount, remount, retouch, torment, toucher, trounce.
	-5 letters: centum, chrome, cohune, cometh, cornet, cotter, couter, cutter, hector, hornet, hotter, hunter, mentor, mother, mutter, mutton, nother, nutter, rectum, rochet, rotche, rotten, rouche, tectum, tenour, tenuto, throne, tocher, torten, tother, touche, touter, trench.
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro.