Medical history (history of the patient) represents an important component in the diagnosis of gingivitis (gum inflammation).
Family history
Social history
- Is there any evidence of psychosocial stress or strain due to your family situation?
Current medical history/systemic history (somatic and psychological complaints).
- Have you noticed any changes in the gums such as receding gums, redness or bleeding with light pressure?
- Do you have bleeding gums when brushing your teeth?
- Do you have pain when brushing your teeth?
Vegetative anamnesis incl. nutritional anamnesis.
- Do you eat a balanced diet?
- Do you smoke? If so, how many cigarettes, cigars or pipes per day?
- Do you drink alcohol? If yes, what drink(s) and how many glasses per day?
Self history incl. medication history.
- Pre-existing conditions (dental disease; diabetes mellitus; tumor disease).
- Operations
- Allergies
- Pregnancies
Medication history
- Anabolic steroids – drugs commonly used as doping agents that promote muscle growth.
- Calcium antagonists – drugs used for hypertension (high blood pressure) such as amlodipine or nifedipine.
- Hydantoins – drugs that used to be used for epilepsy; today, only phenytoin from this group is used
- Immunosuppressants – drugs such as ciclosporin (cyclosporin A), which are used to suppress the body’s immune system.
