title: Relationship between gingival inflammation and painfulness of periodontal probing.
abstract: The relationship of gingival inflammation to the pain associated with periodontal probing was assessed at baseline (B), and 1 month (1M) and 3 months (3M) later in 46 subjects. At each of the 3 sessions, clinical measures of gingival inflammation included an observational gingival index and bleeding score. In addition, periodontal probings of all existing teeth was performed with a constant force probe (25 g). Following completion of the probing at each session, subjects rated the global painfulness of the probing using a visual analog scale for pain. Results of this study showed that judged painfulness of probing was related to clinical inflammation (bleeding score) at baseline and 1 month and suggest that the degree of periodontal inflammation is related to the pain and discomfort associated with periodontal probing.
authors.affiliation: Claude D. Pepper Center, Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, College of Dentistry, University of Florida, Gainesville.
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Heft
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Perelmuter
authors.forename: B Y
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Magnusson
authors.forename: W B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Clark
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005884:Gingival Hemorrhage / Q000503:physiopathology; D005888:Gingival Pocket / Q000473:pathology*; D005891:Gingivitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010146:Pain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010512:Periodontal Index; D010517:Periodontics / Q000295:instrumentation*