Vincent stomatitis, also known as trench mouth, is a progressively painful infection characterized by swelling and the shedding of dead tissue in the mouth and throat due to the infection spreading from the gums. Although certain bacteria and spirochetes are suspected to play a role, the complete understanding of this long-recognized disease remains elusive. Named after the French physician Henri Vincent (1862-1950), the term "angina" is derived from the Latin word "angere," which means "to choke or throttle." This condition, still not fully understood, is known by various other names including acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis (ANUG), acute membranous gingivitis, fusospirillary gingivitis, fusospirillosis, necrotizing gingivitis, phagedenic gingivitis, ulcerative gingivitis, and Vincent gingivitis.
