Special care in dentistry : official publication of the American Association of Hospital Dentists, the Academy of Dentistry for the Handicapped, and the American Society for Geriatric Dentistry
-
Spontaneous gingival bleeding can occasionally be the only sign of systemic bleeding problems. The diagnosis and management of such conditions may challenge the skills of both the hematologist and the oral physician. ⋯ This case history also highlights the fact that medical intervention to correct the underlying aberration of hemostasis is necessary for local dental measures to successfully stop bleeding. In contrast with the definition of thrombocytopenia, the "within normal" count of platelets should not exclude the possibility of idiopathic thrombocytopenia purpura; a fact that, if ignored, can make the diagnosis and management of bleeding troublesome.