[Tuberculous periodontitis]

Peridental foci of infection (PFI) in periodontitis in 113 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis were evaluated clinico-morphologically with regard to mycobacterial populations. Vegetation in PFI of bacterial, bacterial and L-form M. tuberculosis (37.2%) was associated with clinically inapparent periodontitis symptoms, formation of large and middle-size PFI with destruction and foci of productive tuberculous inflammation. Persistent L-forms of M. tuberculosis (59.3%) brought out a symptomless periodontitis with small and middle-size PFI, manifest immune or minor tuberculous inflammation, reparative processes. The findings suggest that PFI in tuberculous patients' periodontitis is a form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis.