The Absence of Microorganisms in Inflamed Gingivae

摘要

Microorganisms have been considered for many years as an important etiological factor in inflammatory periodontal disease. The prevailing view is that microorganisms do not invade the living gingival tissues, but damage the tissues by the action of their toxins or enzymes. In this study, microorganisms were not observed to have invaded viable gingival tissues. The microorganisms were seen on the incised surface, on the oral and crevicular epithelial surfaces, and on ulcerated surfaces. Ulceration of the epithelial surfaces was not a notable feature of inflamed gingivae since only two interdental papillae were ulcerated, and the crevicular epithelium was intact in all specimens. The presence or absence of an inflammatory infiltrate could not be determined clinically. Both clinically diseased and healthy control tissue biopsies demonstrated variable amounts of inflammatory infiltrate in the connective tissues. Lymphocytes, or lymphocytelike cells, were present between epithelial cells in varying numbers.