Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Riggs' disease
Introduction
Overview
Overview
Riggs’ disease, also known as pyorrhea of a toothsocket or gingivitis expulsiva, is a purulent inflammation of the dental periosteum named after American dentist John W. Riggs (1811–1885).[1] Riggs’ disease produces the progressive necrosis of the alveoli and looseness of the teeth. The teeth may become very loose and fall out of the sockets. Mark Twain wrote briefly about Riggs’ disease in his short essay, Happy Memories of the Dental Chair, in which he claims to have been examined by Dr. Riggs himself.[2]
References
References
- ↑ Shklar, G; Carranza, FA: The Historical Background of Periodontology. In Newman, MG; Takei, HH; Carrana FA, editors: Carranza’s Clinical Periodontology, 9th Edition. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders Company, 2002. page 7.
- ↑ Mark Twain’s Notebooks & Journals, Volume II (1877-1883): The Mark Twain papers
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]