11 Q3 2022 | Animal Health Solutions
Peridontal Inflammation
Inflammation has been talked about since the Greek
Civilization began. Inflammation was a result of
irritation, injury or infection. Its end result was rubor
(redness), calor (heat), tumor (swelling) and dolor
(pain). Thus, inflammation is the body's protective
response against injury and tissue destruction. These
events are highly coordinated that occur at a cellular
and tissue level. The purpose of inflammation is to
destroy, dilute or sequester the injurious agent and
injured tissues to permit healing. It is a defensive
mechanism to protect the host; however, it can be
potentially harmful.
Periodontitis is the active inflammation process on
the periodontium. Periodontal disease is the historical
result of active periodontitis resulting in clinical
attachment loss on the tooth of the gingiva, alveolar
bone loss, and periodontal pocketing. In active
periodontitis, we see enlarged gingival tissue and
or recession, bleeding upon probing, tooth mobility,
and tooth exfoliation as an end result. Chronic
periodontitis can be continuous or have intervals
of activity. Inflammation is a beneficial event. In the
periodontium, bacteria in the crevicular fluid enter
the blood stream via the sulcular epithelium and
elicit a protective response during manipulation of
the teeth (e.g. chewing). The inflammatory response
counteracts the microbial challenges and eliminates it
without clinical evidence. Clinical evidence only occurs
when the inflammatory response is prolonged and
not successful in resolving the microbial challenge.
Chronic inflammation is destructive due to the
tissue damage by the action of the cells involved in
inflammation and their by-products.
