A study on the pattern of oral cavity involvement in various dermatoses at tertiary care center

Abstract

Introduction: Oral mucosa is in direct continuity with the skin externally and with the mucosa of oropharynx and nasopharynx internally. Dermatological diseases may involve the mucosa which can be an early predictor of any underlying disease. Materials and Methods: The present study was a cross-sectional observational study, conducted between May and October 2018 after institutional ethical clearance. Patients presenting with dermatoses involving oral cavity alone or with other sites belonging to all age groups and either sexes were included. Cutaneous, oral cavity, and systemic examination was done along with other relevant investigations which were required, and detailed examination was noted in a prestructured pro forma. Results: Out of 52 cases of oral cavity lesions, 55.76% were female and 40.38% were in 19–40 years of age group. Complaints of pain and burning sensation in the oral cavity were present in 48.07% of cases. Majority of patients (55.76%) had lesions over lips and buccal mucosa. Lichen planus was the most common clinical diagnosis seen in 40.38% of cases followed by herpes labialis in 17.30% of cases. Other mucosal sites involved were genital mucosa in 11.53%, followed by conjunctiva in 1.92% of patients. Hypertension was seen in 11.53% of cases. Discussion: Various dermatological disorders of diverse etiologies involve oral cavity. Any symptom or sign in the oral cavity should not be neglected because that can be an early predictor of any underlying disease. Routine intraoral examination should be incorporated in all dermatosis as the oral manifestations can represent preliminary signs or can coexist with the diseases. Conclusions: Thus, prompt diagnosis and management can minimize disease progression and improve the quality of life of an individual. Limitation: Small sample size was the limitation of our study.