Gingival Crevicular Fluid and Periodontal Risk Assessment
By Margarita Rivera, RDH, MSDH, Shelsy Apolinar, Madeleine Smith
Gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) is found within the physiologic gingival sulcus and pathologic periodontal pocket.1 Considered an inflammatory exudate,1 GCF seeps through the connective tissue within the gingiva and lining of the sulcus. Research has shown that GCF directly relates to periodontal diseases. In health, the flow rate of GCF is close to nothing;1 however, in a periodontal pocket, its composition changes with the presence of inflammation. Thus, increased GCF flow may be a sign of periodontal disease.1 While many factors contribute to periodontal conditions, this article will discuss how testing GCF can aid in the assessment and diagnosis of the stages of periodontal diseases—and its correlation to systemic disease.
* References can be found in the original article via the link below.
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