trench mouth en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
Etymology
Probably coined during World War I when the disease was common among soldiers in the trenches during trench warfare.
Meanings
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(idiomatic, uncountable) Acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis, a severe bacterial infection of the gums, typically characterized by inflammation, bleeding, deep ulceration, necrotized tissue, pain, fever, enlarged lymph nodes, fatigue, and halitosis.
"Trench mouth" is one of the war diseases which is engaging the attention of British army doctors.
1918 June 17, “Discover New War Disease: British and French Soldiers Suffering from ‘Trench Mouth’”, in New York Times, retrieved 07 Jan 2009, page 7:Vincent's angina (or trench mouth) is a distinct form of ulcerative gingivitis.
2002, Itzhak Brook MD, “Anaerobic Bacteria in Upper Respiratory Tract and other Head and Neck Infections”, in Annals of Otology, Rhinology & Laryngology, volume 111, number 5, page 433:
Relateds
Synonyms
fusospirochetal gingivitis · Vincent's angina · acute ulcerative gingivitis · fusospirillosis · Vincent's infection · Plaut-Vincent angina · phagedenic gingivitis · Vincent's stomatitis · acute membranous gingivitis · ulcerative gingivitis