Gingival Enlargement: Revisited: A Case Series.

ABSTRACT

Gingival enlargement can be hereditary or acquired. More than 20 prescription medications are associated with gingival overgrowth. A detailed review on the risk factors and pathogenesis from various peer reviewed journals has been discussed in this article. The aim was to discuss the role of drugs causing gingival enlargement, the hereditary gingival fibromatosis (HGF) and its possible pathogenesis. The following case series highlights four cases of gingival enlargement, one being a case of HGF and the other three being drug-induced gingival enlargement. Variable etiopathogenesis such as age, genetic predisposition, pharmacokinetic variables, tissue homeostasis, inflammation and growth factors have been associated with this disease. Inflammatory changes that occur within the gingival tissues appear to orchestrate the interaction between the “modified fibroblast” and the drug. Alternatively, these drugs influence directly the inflammatory response in the form of enlargement. This information is valuable for the clinician as it will have implication to treat the patient effectively.