Role of Cytological Indices in the Evaluation of Barrier Properties of Gingival Mucous Membrane in Children

Abstract

In somatically healthy children with chronic generalized catarrhal gingivitis the cytogram of gingival mucosa has shown decrease in the percentage of epithelial cells: nucleated cells (31.5 % vs. 38.3 %) and enucleated cornified cells (32.5 % vs. 45.4 %). At the same time, there were significant increase in the epithelial cells content with signs of cytopathology. In children with chronic generalized catarrhal gingivitis and associated chronic gastritis there had been noted a shift in the cytogram to less mature epithelial cells compared with healthy children. 3.9-fold increase of the proportion of cells with cytopathology in the prints of patients with chronic gastritis testify to abnormal desquamation of the epithelium and reduction of barrier functions of gingival mucous membrane.

Keywords

• cytogram, chronic gingivitis, children