Oral manifestations in Crohn's disease - Two patient cases from the clinic

Abstract

Crohn’s disease (CD) is an inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal system. It is suspected to be caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors and changes in the patient’s intestinal microbiome. As opposed to colitis ulcerosa, which usually only affects the large intestine, CD may affect various parts of the gastrointestinal tract. Many patients show oral lesions related to CD, which sometimes can precede the first gastrointestinal symptoms. Specific oral lesions include granulomatous cheilitis, cobblestone-like mucosal tags and linear ulcerations. Non-specific lesions occur in the form of angular cheilitis and opportunistic candidiasis, aphthous ulcerations, reduced salivation, dental caries and many more. We present two cases of patients suffering from Crohn’s disease with different oral manifestations and discuss the dentist’s role in early detection of specific oral lesions and the importance of the follow-up care of affected patients.