Dark coloured gingiva in thalassemia is associated with which of the following?

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Multiple Choice

Dark coloured gingiva in thalassemia is associated with which of the following?

Explanation:
Dark colored gingiva in thalassemia comes from iron overload in the body. Repeated blood transfusions lead to more iron than the body can excrete, so iron gets deposited in tissues as hemosiderin. Ferritin is the storage form of iron in the blood, so its level rises when iron stores are high. Elevated ferritin therefore signals iron overload and tissue deposition, which can cause gingival pigmentation. Bilirubin from hemolysis can rise in thalassemia but it doesn’t produce this gingival darkening, and low ferritin indicates iron deficiency, not pigmentation from iron overload.

Dark colored gingiva in thalassemia comes from iron overload in the body. Repeated blood transfusions lead to more iron than the body can excrete, so iron gets deposited in tissues as hemosiderin. Ferritin is the storage form of iron in the blood, so its level rises when iron stores are high. Elevated ferritin therefore signals iron overload and tissue deposition, which can cause gingival pigmentation. Bilirubin from hemolysis can rise in thalassemia but it doesn’t produce this gingival darkening, and low ferritin indicates iron deficiency, not pigmentation from iron overload.

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