A single center study of oral mucosal lesions in a Turkish population during 12 years period

Abstract

Objective: The prevalence of oral mucosal lesions, together with information on the risk habits associated with oral health, such as tobacco and alcohol use, can help in planning future oral health studies and screening programs.
 Material and Methods: This study presents the findings of 805 oral mucosal biopsies from patients, received over twelve years period. The cases represent 0.6 per-cent of the total number of reports examined (130.680). The data were revised and compiled for diagnosis site, age, and sex. The patients were divided into nine age groups according to decades. The classification was modified and divided into eleven main groups
 Results: Connective tissue lesions formed the largest group of diagnoses (24.4per cent) followed by white lesions (17.8 %per cent), verrucal-papillary lesions (15.4%per cent), red-blue lesions (14%per cent), ulcerous lesions (12.2%per cent), periodontal diseases (10%per cent), lymphoid tissue lesions (1.3%per cent), other tumors (2%per cent), pigmented lesions (0.6%per cent) only 1 metabolic disease (cherubism) (0.1per cent). Approximately 60 %per cent of the biopsies were from the second group patients with an almost equal distribution among sexes. The predominant site of the biopsies was gingiva (28%per cent) followed by lips (19.2%per cent).
 Conclusion: The majority of the lesions were in the category of reactive and inflammatory lesions with most occurring in the thirty age group (31-40 age) that represents permanent dentition. These results suggest that the difficulties in maintaining oral hygiene or the presence of trauma may be the primary factor in mucosal lesions occurring in the permanent dentition period.