riggs' disease: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very Low / ObsoleteObsolete Technical / Historical Medical
Quick answer
What does “riggs' disease” mean?
A historical, now obsolete, term for periodontitis, a serious gum infection that damages the soft tissue and destroys the bone supporting the teeth.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A historical, now obsolete, term for periodontitis, a serious gum infection that damages the soft tissue and destroys the bone supporting the teeth.
A specific historical name for chronic, advanced periodontal disease, particularly associated with progressive alveolar bone loss and tooth loosening.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No contemporary difference. Historically, the term was more common in American medical literature as it refers to an American dentist, but it was recognized internationally. In modern usage, both regions exclusively use 'periodontitis' or 'periodontal disease'.
Connotations
Historical, obsolete, and somewhat antiquated in both varieties of English.
Frequency
Effectively zero in contemporary speech or writing in both the UK and US.
Grammar
How to Use “riggs' disease” in a Sentence
Patient + suffer from + Riggs' diseaseDiagnose + patient + with + Riggs' diseaseTreat + Riggs' diseaseVocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Never used.
Academic
Only in historical or historiographical contexts within dental or medical history papers.
Everyday
Not used.
Technical
Obsolete. Modern technical usage favours 'periodontitis' (e.g., 'chronic periodontitis', 'aggressive periodontitis').
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “riggs' disease”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “riggs' disease”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “riggs' disease”
- Using it in a contemporary dental consultation. / Misspelling the possessive: 'Rigg's disease' (incorrect), 'Riggs's disease' (less common variant), 'Riggs' disease' (correct).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. It is an obsolete historical term. The modern, precise diagnosis is periodontitis.
John M. Riggs (1811–1885) was an American dentist known for his work on periodontal disease, which was informally named after him.
Gingivitis is inflammation of the gums only and is reversible. Riggs' disease was the historical term for what is now called periodontitis, which is a more severe, irreversible condition involving bone loss.
No. Using this term would likely cause confusion. Use the modern terms 'gum disease' or 'periodontitis' instead.
A historical, now obsolete, term for periodontitis, a serious gum infection that damages the soft tissue and destroys the bone supporting the teeth.
Riggs' disease is usually obsolete technical / historical medical in register.
Riggs' disease: in British English it is pronounced /ˈrɪɡz dɪˌziːz/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈrɪɡz dɪˌziz/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'rigging' on a ship coming loose; Riggs' disease makes the 'rigging' (periodontal ligaments) holding your teeth loose.
Conceptual Metaphor
Disease as an invader destroying foundations (the bone as the foundation of the teeth).
Practice
Quiz
In which context would the term 'Riggs' disease' be most appropriately used today?