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Glite Dictionary
gingivitis

gingivitis

5 5.8
Gums that become red, swollen, and bleed because of bacteria
  • noun
  • /ˌdʒɪn.dʒɪˈvaɪ.tɪs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : gingivitis
  • Some of the complications of having severe plaque include gum diseases like gingivitis and periodontitis.

Examples

  • I went two days ago and had no cavities and only localized gingivitis.

    Blog text (12)

  • I have gingivitis.

    Happy Gilmore 2 (2025)

  • You have bad breath caused by gingivitis.

    Liar Liar (1997)

  • Appropriate dental hygiene and care will prevent losses due to dental disease and gingivitis.

    Academic text (1999)

  • In fact, it reduces plaque and gingivitis inflammation.

  • You know, gingivitis is the number-one cause of all tooth decay.

    Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (1995)

  • He has gingivitis as a result of not flossing enough.

    About Last Night (2014)

  • I had the early signs of gingivitis a while back—gums were red, sensitive, receding, bleeding, etc.

    Blog text (16)

  • Your gums look much more healthier from where we started because when our teeth are not aligned, we start having gingivitis, which is inflammation of the gums.

  • Red, tender, puffy, and bleeding gums are the first signs of gingivitis, an inflammation of the gums.

How Inflamed

periodontitis
  • Specialized
1 8.4
gingivitis
  • Specialized
5 5.8

Surface Forms

gingivitis singular
gingivitides plural

Morphology

gingivitis = gingiva (semi-transparent) = gingiva + itis

The form is a regular medical formation ('gingiva' + '-itis' = inflammation of the gums), but the components ('gingiva' and the suffix '-itis') are specialized medical items that many general learners do not know.

Etymology

The word gingivitis comes from gingiva 'gums' and the ending -itis 'inflammation'. So, like tonsillitis, which means inflammation of the tonsils, gingivitis means the gums are swollen, red, and may bleed.