Maureen Amsler, age 13, of Cloquet, Minn., for her question:

WHAT IS TRENCH MOUTH?

Dentists call trench mouth necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis. It's a fancy way of saying a person has an inflammation in the mouth that tends to eat away at the gums.

It is first found as an erosion of the points of the gums between the teeth. It is often painful, the gums bleed and the breath doesn't smell good. There can also be a persistent metallic taste in the mouth and a white film on the gums.

The name was given to the condition (also called Vincent's angina) because it was common among the soldiers in the European trenches during World War I. You usually develop the problem when you're. under strain, sleep too little, eat poorly and neglect the care of your teeth. The disease requires a dentist's attention.