Pathology · single question
A patient with nutritional deficiency (scurvy) presents to your office. Which oral finding would you MOST expect?
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A. Bleeding and swollen gingiva
Scurvy (vitamin C deficiency) impairs collagen synthesis, leading to fragile blood vessels and connective tissue. Classic oral manifestations include: swollen, hemorrhagic, spongy gingiva that bleeds easily, loose teeth, petechiae, and impaired wound healing. The gingival changes in scurvy are exacerbated by the presence of plaque — patients with no teeth do not develop the gingival changes.
- A. ✅ CORRECT – Scurvy (vitamin C deficiency) causes bleeding, swollen gingiva due to defective collagen synthesis and capillary fragility.
- B. ❌ Periapical abscess is caused by pulp infection — unrelated to scurvy.
- C. ❌ White soft-tissue plaques suggest candidiasis, lichen planus, or leukoplakia — not scurvy.
- D. ❌ Dry socket is a post-extraction complication unrelated to vitamin C deficiency.