Abstract
Children are vulnerable to various forms of gum (or gingival) diseases, and despite being mild in most cases, they may deteriorate quickly jeopardizing the permanent teeth and periodontium throughout the adult life. Gingival diseases in children have different aetiology and clinical presentation from adults. The anatomical and histological characteristic of the gingiva in childhood make the children vulnerable to frequent and peculiar forms of gum diseases. Gum diseases range from mild gingivitis to severe destructive periodontitis. They can occur with or without plaque formation, and etiologically they can result from infectious causes (e.g. viral, bacterial, and fungal gingivitis), mechanical causes (e.g. eroded teeth, teeth malposition, mechanical appliances), traumatic causes, nutritional causes (e.g. vitamin C deficiency), drug-induced (e.g. phenytoin, nifedipine, and cyclosporin), congenital causes (e.g. congenital epulis), or associated with systemic diseases. Because most gum diseases in children are mild in severity, minimal treatment along with appropriate dental care practices are adequate to reverse the pathology and treat the diseases. Thus, early identification and diagnosis of gingival diseases in children is essential for optimum outcomes.