Abstract
Introduction. The periodontal disease is one of the leading challenges in modern dentistry, due to its high prevalence in people of all ages, to the lack of methods for nosological diagnosis and to effective prevention and treatments. Undoubtedly, excessive alcohol consumption has a detrimental effect on the body, in particular on the liver. We have proven that not only alcohol consumption, but also prolonged inhalation of alcohol, occurring during alcohol production, lead to liver disfunction and to hepatitis. At the same time, the condition of the liver significantly affects the condition of other organs and systems, including the tissues of the oral cavity (“hepato-oral syndrome”).

Aim. To determine the characteristic features of pathomorphological changes in the gums and liver of experimental animals under the influence of alcohol inhalation.

Materials and methods. White Wistar rats were used in the experiments. 4 experimental groups were formed. Experimental periodontitis in rats was modelled by converting the animals to a peroxide model of periodontitis with the addition of the usual diet of peroxidized sunflower oil, at a dose of 1 ml per animal. The material of the study was provided by the biopsies of the mucous membrane of the gums and liver tissue of experimental rats. General histomorphology was studied on drugs stained with Ehrlich hematoxylin – eosin, by the method of van Gizon.

Results and discussion. Pathomorphological changes in the gums of animals from the experimental group IV show the presence in the gums of rats of focal wet and dry necrosis of their epithelial layer. The epithelial areas become homogeneous and intensely stained blue with hematoxylin. Hyperplasia and desquamation of the superficial layers of the epithelium are observed near the areas of necrosis. The
necrotic areas are separated and ulcers are formed in their place. In such places, an inflammatory infiltration of the subepithelial connective tissue, a sharp dilation of blood vessels, hemorrhage, may be observed. Histological examination of the liver evidenced that animals treated with alcohol inhalation showed perivascular lymphoid infiltration of the liver of moderate severity. Focal vacuolar degeneration of the small groups of hepatocytes is also characteristic.

Conclusions. The pathomorphological changes in rats with simulated periodontitis caused by inhalation exposure to ethanol vapor revealed vacuolar epitheliocyte distrophy, hyperplasia and desquamation of the surface layers of the epithelium.
Keywords: histomorphology, gums, liver, alcohol inhalation