Glossary

Abnormal appearance

Unusual swellings, lumps, red, white, or mixed speckled red and white patches or pigmented areas in the oral cavity or facial weakness or asymmetry.

Abutment

The attachment for an artificial tooth/teeth.

Altered sensation

Unusual feeling in the mouth or face that may include numbness, tingling or a burning feeling and may or may not be painful.

Alveolar socket

The hole in the jawbone in which a tooth is held.

Analgesic

Pain killing drug.

Anaphylaxis

A severe, potentially life-threatening, allergic reaction that can affect many of the systems of the body, including airways, breathing, circulation (of the blood). Anaphylaxis is also known as anaphylactic shock.

Avascular bone

Bone that is not associated with or supplied by blood vessels.

Avulsed tooth

A tooth which has been knocked out or lost due to trauma.

Bilateral or unilateral parotid swelling

Swelling below the ear associated with the parotid salivary glands on one side (unilateral) or both sides (bilateral).

Caries

Tooth decay.

Debridement

Cleaning of a wound to remove dead, damaged or infected tissue and other debris (surgical debridement).

Degloving

An injury in which oral soft tissues are stripped from the underlying bone (usually following a blunt traumatic event).

Dentine

The major structural component of the tooth that lies under the visible enamel surface. It can be painful if dentine becomes uncovered (exposed).

Erupting tooth

A tooth that is first emerging through the gingiva (gum) tissue.

Erythema

Redness.

Enamel

The very hard outer surface layer of the crown of the tooth that is visible above the gingiva (gum).

FAST

A reminder of how to recognise when someone might have had a stroke and what to do:

• Face weakness: Can the person smile? Has their mouth or eye drooped?
• Arm weakness: Can the person raise both arms fully and keep them there?
• Speech problems: Can the person speak clearly and understand what you say? Is their speech slurred?
• Time to call 999: if you see any one of these signs.

Further information is available at: https://www.stroke.org.uk/stroke/symptoms 

Gingiva, gingival

Gum.

Gingival papillae

The part of the gum (gingiva) that occupies the space between two adjacent teeth.

Halitosis

Bad breath.

Immunocompromised

When the immune system is impaired. This may be disease or infection-related (e.g. certain cancers, HIV), caused by drug treatment (e.g. steroids, chemotherapy, immunosuppressive drugs), inherited or age-related and indicates a lower threshold for considering the use of antibiotic therapy.

Local Urgent Suspicion of Cancer pathway

A locally agreed means of referring patients with minimum delay to a nearby health care provider for further assessment or treatment.

Loss of attachment

An indicator of periodontal disease based on a measurement of the condition of the gingiva (gum).

Mucocele

A fluid filled sac or localised swelling on the soft tissues of the mouth that may be caused by trauma and is usually painless.

Occlusion

The way in which the upper and lower teeth come together when the mouth is closed.

Oedema

A build-up of fluid (mainly water) in the body's tissues, causing swelling to occur in the affected area.

Operculum

A flap of gingival (gum) tissue lying over the crown of an erupting tooth.

Optimal analgesia

The lowest effective dose of painkillers taken for the shortest duration necessary to control symptoms without exceeding the maximum dose and taking into account the patient’s age, weight and relevant health conditions. 

Oral mucosa

The soft tissues that line the inside of the mouth.

Orthodontic headgear

A structure worn on the head that attaches to braces to assist in the movement of the teeth or jaw to improve the appearance or function of abnormally arranged teeth.

Peri-implant bone loss

Loss of bone around a dental implant.

Periodontal pocket

An unusually deep space between the gingiva (gum) and the tooth which can be difficult to clean and can become infected.

Professional mechanical plaque removal (PMPR)

The control of dental plaque biofilm and calculus on the crown and root surface of the tooth. Also known as scaling.

Root

The part of the tooth that is embedded in the jaw and that is not normally visible. It can be painful if the surface of the root becomes uncovered (exposed).

Sensibility testing

A means of testing whether the nerve in a tooth is functioning.

Spreading infection

Infection that is no longer limited to a small area as indicated by cellulitis (sensitive skin inflammation), swollen lymph node(s).

Suppuration

Formation and discharge of pus.

Stomatitis

Inflammation of any of the interior surfaces of the mouth.

Systemic infection

A general infection causing the patient to have an elevated temperature and to feel and/or look unwell.

Systemically unwell

When a patient feels or looks generally unwell, typically with an elevated temperature and feeling of light-headedness or fatigue.

Temporal arteries

Arteries of the head that supply blood to the scalp, jaw muscles and salivary glands.

Temporomandibular joint

The jaw joint.

Tooth ingestion

When all or part of a tooth is swallowed.

Tooth inhalation

When all or part of a tooth is inhaled into the lungs.

Ultrasonic scaling

Use of high frequency sound waves to remove material such as calculus (also known as tartar) and staining from tooth surfaces. 

Urticaria

A raised, red, itchy rash that appears on the skin. Also known as hives, welts or nettle rash. The raised marks in the rash are called weals.

Vermillion border

The edge between the skin of the lip and the surrounding facial skin.

Vitality test

See Sensibility test.