Vincent's infection

noun

: a progressive painful disease of the mouth that is marked especially by dirty gray ulceration of the mucous membranes, bleeding of the gums, and a foul odor to the breath and that is associated with the presence of large numbers of a rod-shaped bacterium (Fusobacterium fusiforme synonym F. nucleatum) and a spirochete (Treponema vincentii synonym Borrelia vincentii) in the lesions

called also trench mouth

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1922, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

Vincent's infection

noun

: acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis