n.
or gingiva
Mucous-membrane-covered connective tissue attached to and surrounding the necks of the teeth and the alveolar bone of the jaw.
The edges of the gums around the teeth are free and extend into the spaces between the teeth. Fibres of the ligament that holds the teeth in their sockets enter the gum and hold it tightly against the teeth. Pink, speckled, and tough, healthy gums have limited sensitivity to pain, temperature, and pressure. Changes in colour, loss of speckling, or abnormal sensitivity are early signs of gingivitis, in which pockets form between the gum and teeth and become infected, with inflammation, bleeding, and, in severe cases, loss of teeth.