Types Of Oral Mucosal Lesions Research Articles

Endoscope to Identify A Smoker's Oral Mucosa for Early Obstructive Airway Disease Detection

Background: The synergistic association between oral cavity disorders and airway disorders in smokers has long been recognized. Periodontal disease and airway obstruction are 20 times more likely in smokers. Smoking causes increased inflammatory cytokines in the oral mucosa; generally, airway obstruction has been associated with increased inflammatory markers in the airway mucosa. This study developed a prototype to visualize smokers' oral mucosa to identify potential airway obstruction disease.Methods: This study collected many types of oral mucosal lesions that are typically found in smokers, such as leukoplakia, nicotinic stomatitis, black hairy tongue, oral cancer, and smoker melanosis, from various literature and images of the mucosa of patients with a history of smoking who were treated at the hospital. The data is divided into a training, validation, and testing set and then using the PyTorch framework and the UltraLytics library.Results: This study created a prototype of an endoscope that can detect lesions on the oral mucosa-related airway obstruction disease. Sixty-three percent of the respondents who underwent prototype testing were between the ages of twenty-one and thirty. Of those who smoked, 86% had done so for five to ten years. Sixty percent of the respondents had no COPD diagnosis. The sensitivity of the prototype demonstrated a high rate of 84%. However, the specificity exhibited 57.14%.Conclusion: Endoscopic detection of the oral mucosa can be used for early screening of suspected obstructive airway disorders in smokers. This tool could enhance screening for smoking's effects on the mouth and prevent early obstructive airway diseases.

Oral Mucosal Lesions in Patients Attending Dermatology Outpatient Department of a Tertiary Care Center in Kathmandu: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study.

Oral mucosal lesions though mostly benign, may impair the quality of life of patients. Some may even progress to malignancies. Many physicians, including dermatologists, tend to skip oral examinations, missing many important diagnoses. Understanding the frequency and types of oral mucosal lesions in dermatological settings can help in early diagnosis, referral and adequate treatment. This study was done to determine demographic characteristics and clinical presentations of patients with oral mucosal lesions presenting to the out-patient department (OPD) of dermatology in Nepal Armed Police Force (APF) Hospital, Kathmandu. This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted after obtaining the ethical approval from the Institutional Review Committee of Nepal APF Hospital. Retrospective data of 264 patients presenting with oral mucosal lesions to the dermatology OPD were collected from 1st January 2021 to 31st December 2023 by using a pre-formed proforma. Data was entered in SPSS software and descriptive statistics were computed. Out of 13,832 cases, oral mucosal lesion was seen in 264 (1.90%) cases among which 153 (57.96%) cases were males with male female ratio of 1.37:1. Most common age group affected was 31-45 years 96 (36.36%). Buccal mucosa 86 (32.57%) was the commonest site involved followed by tongue 73 (27.65%). Aphthous ulcer 82 (31.06%) was the commonest lesion found followed by oral candidiasis 25 (9.46%) and oral lichen planus 24 (9.09%). Aphthous ulcer was the commonest oral mucosal lesion seen in patients visiting dermatology outpatient department of Nepal APF Hospital, with buccal mucosa being the commonest site affected.

Dysphagia-related mucositis in children undergoing chemotherapy: The COMEDY pattern.

Children undergoing chemotherapy can experience dysphagia due to non-erosive reflux disease (NERD). Oral mucositis (OM) associated with NERD-dysphagia in children with cancer has recently been defined with the acronym COMEDY (Clenching, Oral Mucositis, closed Eyes, DYsphagia). This study aims to identify the prevalence of the COMEDY pattern among chemotherapy-induced OM. Forty-two medical records of children undergoing chemotherapy for haemato-oncologic diseases and presenting OM were reviewed. The following data were collected: age, type of haemato-oncologic disease, presence of dysphagia, type of oral mucosal lesions (i.e. traditional oral mucositis or COMEDY pattern), site of oral lesions, ear-nose-throat (ENT) assessment for the indirect signs of NERD and paediatric neuro-psychiatric (PNP) assessment. Among 42 children with chemotherapy-related OM, 6 patients (14.2%) showed the COMEDY pattern. Besides the characteristic clinical aspect of the oral mucosa, initially classified as grade II OM, these children suffered from NERD-related dysphagia and PNP issues. A COMEDY pattern can occur in a number of cases of chemotherapy-induced OM; recognizing this pattern may improve the effectiveness of treatment.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Oral Mucosal Lesions: A Retrospective Study of Patients Attending Oral Diagnosis Department of Siohs Karachi, Pakistan

Background: The present study was conducted to evaluate the frequency of different types of Oral Mucosal Lesions (OMLs) and to identify the associated risk factors. Methodology: A retrospective study was conducted at the Department of oral diagnosis in collaboration with the department of oral pathology SIOHS, Karachi Pakistan between January 2017 to December 2020. All cases of lesions and ulcers of the oral cavity were included in the study. Missing data were excluded. Diagnosed cases of oral mucosal lesions were documented. The data was then stratified according to the age groups, gender, symptoms, comorbidities, marital status, etc. Results: A mean age of 38.3 ± 11.86 years was observed. The subjects manifested multiple lesions with OSF standing as the most prevalent one at 29%, followed by aphthous ulcers at 20.2%, candidiasis at 14%, and nicotinic stomatitis at 10.4%. The majority of the patients with aphthous ulcers were significantly associated with young age while frictional keratosis was significantly associated with elderly age (p=0.002), respectively. 15 (93.8%) patients who were married were diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma (p<0.004) and stiffening of the mouth was significantly associated with squamous cell carcinoma (p<0.0001). Conclusion: In conclusion, the increased occurrence of oral mucosal lesions with age is most likely attributable to an age-related decline in health status and is highly correlated to substance abuse; its amount, duration, type, and regularity. Keywords: oral mucosal lesion, carcinoma, gingiva, buccal, maxillofacial, tumor

Long term cognitive outcome in herpes simplex encephalitis

Introduction: Oral health is important to individuals of all age groups. The oral mucosa performs essential protective functions that plays an important role in the general health status of an individual. As a result of aging, oral epithelium undergo atrophic changes leading to decrease in tissue regeneration and disease resistance, which can expose the oral mucosa to a variety of pathogens and chemicals. In present study, we aimed to document the clinical types of oral mucosal lesions and to study its distribution and possible etiological factors in geriatric population. Materials and Methods: A total number of 5257 patients above 60 years of age were examined and 130 patients fulfilling the criteria were enrolled for the study. A written consent taken from the patients. A detailed medical history and general physical examination was done to establish the clinical diagnosis. Correlation, if any, with etiological factor was assessed. In relevant cases, necessary investigations to establish the definitive diagnosis were done. The collected data were analyzed by the SPSS 22 version software. Results: In the present study, age group of 60-69 years were commonly involved, with a male preponderance. Buccal mucosa was the most common site involved. The common risk factors observed were smoking, alcohol and betel quid chewing. The most frequent lesions found were malignancy, oral candidiasis and oral lichen planus followed by premalignant etiologies. Conclusion: This present study brings to light various oral mucosal lesions in geriatric population, which also highlights the importance of early diagnosis of oral precancerous lesions before it develops into malignancy. Keywords: Oral mucosal lesions, Geriatrics, Oral carcinoma, Premalignant lesions, Betel quid.

Etiology and Management of Inflammatory Papillary Hyperplasia in Completely Edentulous Patients - A Review

Oral mucosa of complete denture wearing patients is subjected to varying amount of stresses as compared to patient having natural teeth. This can leads to different type of oral mucosal lesions like denture stomatitis, epulis fissuratum, angular cheilitis, traumatic ulcers, inflammatory papillary hyperplasia (IPH) etc. IPH is a type of chronic inflammatory proliferative lesion characterized by numerous small, wart like edematous red papillary growth most commonly seen in deepest part of the palate. Review of literature suggest denture associated widely distributed etiology for IPH like over accentuation of palatal relief and vacuum chamber in upper denture, old ill fitting dentures, poor denture hygiene, continuous denture wearing habit, faulty occlusion, skidding of instable denture etc. Treatment for IPH varies with the severity of the condition and may range from conservative to surgical depending on clinical presentation. Conservative approach include discontinuing use of ill fitting denture, correction of faulty prostheses, improving the oral and denture hygiene and antifungal drugs. However, the surgical approach is used when the lesion is more aggressive and this include supraperiosteal excision, resesctive surgery, cryotherapy, and electrosurgery, blade-loop surgery, fulguration, and mucoabrasion or laser surgery. As a method of prevention patient should be advised to avoid continuous day and night wearing of denture. Additionally, avoid providing excessive relief in the palatal region, as these areas become site for bacterial and fungal colonization. Patients should be well motivated for proper care and maintenance of denture hygiene and also for the importance of periodic dental visits and follow-ups.

Prevalence of oral premalignant lesions and conditions among the population of Kanpur City, India: A cross-sectional study.

Background:The habit of smoking and chewing tobacco is associated with various types of oral mucosal lesions and conditions, many of which pose a potential threat to cancer growth. The present study aims to evaluate the prevalence of potentially malignant lesions (PML) and oral cancer in North India and to identify the associated risk factors.Materials and Methods:A cross-sectional study was carried out in the Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology Rama Dental College Hospital and research center Kanpur over a period of 5 years with1,10,625 patients. Participants were divided into study group with a positive history of the chewing habit as well as oral lesions and control group who had a positive history of habits with no oral lesions. Detailed case history and clinical examination were carried out under visible light by trained professionals to assess any oral mucosal changes.Results:The study group consisted of 76.31% males and 23.69% females. In total, 84.34% participants in the study group were literate. However, 57.56% subjects were having oral submucous fibrosis, 23.7% were having leukoplakia, 13.12% were having Lichen planus, and 5.62% were having oral cancer.Conclusion:Results from the present study indicate that tobacco smoking, chewing of betel quid with and/or without tobacco chewing are the major risk factors for PML and oral cancer.

Prevalence of Oral Mucosal Lesions in Geriatric Patients in Universitas Airlangga Dental Hospital

Background. Population aged 60 years old and above are growing in number; a fact that will have an impact on general and oral health in the future. Oral health is often overlooked in the management of geriatric patients but it is vital to have a knowledged-based practice in order to increase the quality of life of elderly patients.
 Objective. The purpose of this study is to determine the number and types of oral mucosal lesions in geriatric patients who come to the Universitas Airlangga Dental Hospital.
 Methods. This is an observational descriptive study with cross-sectional design. Intraoral soft tissue examination was performed on geriatric patients coming to the hospital between March and December 2018.
 Results. One hundred twenty-four (124) new geriatric patients came to the hospital. A total of 152 oral lesions from 63 geriatric patients (50.81%) were identified. Overall, coated tongue (55.56%) was the most frequently detected lesion, followed by linea alba buccalis (31.74%) and lingual varicosities (26.98%).
 Conclusion. Coated tongue or white tongue is the most frequently detected oral mucosal lesion, often caused by poor oral hygiene. The dentist should be able to recognize and differentiate them from the worrisome lesions and decide on the appropriate treatment in geriatric patients.

Oral mucosal lesions in teenagers: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundAdolescence is a period of transition to adulthood. Little is known about oral mucosal lesions (OMLs) in teenagers, in which the emergence of new habits, unfamiliar to children, could affect the type of lesions.The aim of this study was to evaluate the distribution of oral mucosal lesions (OMLs) in a wide sample of adolescents.MethodsA retrospective cross-sectional study was carried out examining all medical records of adolescents (aged 13–18 years) treated at the Dental Clinic of the University of Brescia (Italy) in the period from 2008 to 2014. Cases with OMLs were selected. Data regarding age, gender, type of OML, bad habits, systemic chronic diseases were collected.ResultsA total of 6.374 medical records (mean age 15.2 + −1.7 years) were examined. We found 1544 cases (31.7%) of oral mucosal lesions; 36 different types of mucosal alterations were detected and the most frequent were: aphthous ulcers (18%), traumatic ulcerations (14.3%), herpes simplex virus (11%), geographic tongue (9.6%), candidiasis (5.5%), and morsicatio buccarum (4.7%). Papilloma virus lesions (1.7%), piercing-related lesions (4%), multiform erythema (0.13%), oral lichen planus (0.13%) and granular cell tumour (0.06%) were also diagnosed.ConclusionsThe prevalence of OMLs in adolescents are different from those in children and, in some conditions, it could increase with age.

Oral health status in Sichuan Province: findings from the oral health survey of Sichuan, 2015\u20132016

To investigate oral health status in the residents of Sichuan Province, southwest China, a cross-sectional study was performed using the latest Oral Health Survey Basic Methods recommended by the World Health Organization. A multistage stratified random cluster-sampling method was used to enroll participants from the following three groups: children aged 3–5 years, adolescents aged 12 years, and people aged 65–74 years. In these three groups, the mean numbers of teeth that were affected by caries were 3.28, 0.86 and 5.13, respectively, resulting in a prevalence of 63.47%, 37.20% and 83.20%, respectively. Relative to the high rate of decayed teeth, the prevalence of fillings was very low in all age groups (0.97%, 7.24% and 5.43%, respectively). In the 12-year-old adolescent group, only 3.61% had good pit and fissure sealing. In addition, the rate of dental fluorosis was 24.80%, and the Community Fluorosis Index value was 0.39. In the elder group, the community periodontal index was 2.92. The prevalence in the elderly of having lost at least one tooth was 75.54%. Additionally, 4.44% of these participants were edentulous. The incidence of dental prosthesis was 51.75%, the proportion with a removable partial denture, a fixed denture, full dentures, dental implants and an informal fixed bridge was 21.59%, 11.45%, 4.64%, 0 and 16.67%, respectively. In this study, 8.2% of the elderly participants were affected by different types of oral mucosal lesions. Among such lesions, recurrent aphthous ulcers were most prevalent (2.69%) and oral lichen planuses were second (1.6%). The conclusion presented in this survey is that oral diseases, especially dental caries and periodontal disease, are frequent and common in Sichuan province, China. Moreover, the treatment rate is very low, and primary prevention and treatment options are therefore urgently needed in this population.

Laser Treatment of Oral Benign Lesions: A Review about 4 Case Reports

Laser technology has made a tremendous progress over few past decades, and lasers have found a niche in many surgical specialties. Lasers offer many useful clinical applications for oral and maxillofacial surgeons in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with different type of oral mucosal lesions and maxillofacial disorders, as long as the clinician receives the proper training to use this technology safely and effectively. The present paper reviews the different types of lasers and discusses their use a vital tool in excision of benign oral lesions with histological findings.

Comparison of Oral Mucosal Lesions and Gingival, Periodontal Indices among Pregnant and Non Pregnant Women-an Observational Cross-Sectional Study

Objective: To assess the number and type of oral mucosal lesions, the gingival and periodontal status in ninety pregnant women compared with ninety non pregnant women. Methodology: A cross-sectional observational controlled study was carried out on 90 pregnant and 90 non-pregnant women exhibiting a similar age distribution. The following variables were documentednumber and type of oral mucosal lesions, gingival index (G.I) as given by LOE and SILLNESS and Community Periodontal Index (C.P.I). Results: The frequency of oral mucosal lesions were greater among pregnant women when compared to those who were non-pregnant. The scores of G.I and C.P.I in the pregnant group when compared to control group were statistically significant (p=0.00). Conclusion: Pregnancy was found to be a decisive factor for development of oral mucosal lesions and periodontal disease.

Oral mucosal lesions: a retrospective review of one institution's 13-year experience.

To investigate the relative frequency of biopsied nonneoplastic oral mucosal lesions in Ankara, Turkey. Biopsy records of a single center from 2000-2012 were retrospectively collected. Diagnosis was recorded and evaluated with respect to patient demographics (age, sex) and location of the lesion. Of 11,980 biopsies, 1732 (14.5%) were mucosal nonneoplastic lesions. Hyperplastic lesions (n= 1000, 57.7%) with fibroepithelial hyperplasia in 30.9% of patients were the most common type of oral nonneoplastic lesions. The mean age of patients differed with respect to type of mucosal lesion, tending to be lower in patients with reactive lesions. Dermatoses showed a female predominance. Our ,findings revealed that hyperplastic lesions were the most common among nonneoplastic oral mucosa lesions. Geographic and ethnic.differences of patients with various types of oral mucosal lesions require further investigation.

Prevalence of oral mucosal lesions in dermatologically diseased patients: A cross-sectional study in Meerut

Introduction: It is a noted fact that dermatologic diseases have varied oral manifestations. By far, there have been inordinately few studies focusing on the prevalence of a wide spectrum of oral mucosal lesions (OML) in patients with dermatologic diseases. This is significant as oral lesions may be the only or the primary feature of the skin disease, which could be neglected by dentists. This study aimed to estimate the frequency and sociobehavioral correlates of OML in skin disease patients attending outpatient's facility of Subharti Hospital, Dermatology Clinic, Meerut, India. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional hospital-based study conducted in Meerut during the period from August 2013 to October 2013. A total of 500 patients (mean age 37.2 ± 14.11 years, 41.4% females) completed an oral examination and a personal interview. OML were recorded using the World Health Organization criteria. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (version 15.0.1). Cross tabulation and Chi-square with Fisher's exact test were used. Results: At least one kind of OML was registered in 11.8%, males (58.6%): 60.0% versus females (40.0%): 45.6%, P < 0.01) skin disease patients. Thus, a certain number of patients had more than one type of OML. Aphthae were the most frequently diagnosed OML (3.4%), followed in descending order by oral lichen planus (1.8%) and geographic tongue (1.6%). Conclusion: OML were frequently diagnosed in skin disease patients (11.80%) and varied systematically with the dermatologic disease, age, and gender. The substantial prevalence rates of OML emphasize the importance of routine examination of the oral mucosa in a dermatology clinic.

Assessment of oral mucosal lesions among psychiatric inmates residing in central jail, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India: A cross-sectional survey

Aim:The aim of the current cross-sectional study was to assess oral mucosal lesions among psychiatric jail patients residing in central jail, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India.Materials and Methods:The study subjects consisted of prediagnosed psychiatric patients residing in central jail, Bhopal. A matched control consisting of cross section of the population, that is, jail inmates residing in the same central jail locality was also examined to compare the psychiatric subjects. The WHO oral health assessment proforma, 1997 along with 18-item questionnaire was used for the oral health examination.Results:A total number of subjects examined were 244, which comprised of 122 psychiatric inmates and 122 nonpsychiatric inmates. Among all psychiatric inmates, about 57.4% of inmates had a diagnosis of depression, 14.8% had psychotic disorders (like schizophrenia), and 12.3% had anxiety disorder. A total of 77% study inmates, which comprised of 87.7% psychiatrics and 66.4% nonpsychiatrics had a habit of tobacco consumption (smokeless or smoking). Overall prevalence of oral mucosal lesions among the inmates was 85 (34.8%), which comprised of 39.3% psychiatric inmates and 30.3% nonpsychiatric inmates.Conclusion:The information presented in this study adds to our understanding of the common oral mucosal lesions occurring in a psychiatric inmate population. Leukoplakia and oral submucous fibrosis were the most common types of oral mucosal lesions found. Efforts to increase patient awareness of the oral effects of tobacco use and to eliminate the habit are needed to improve oral and general health of the prison population.

Oral mucosal lesions and developmental anomalies in dental patients of a teaching hospital in Northern Taiwan

Background/purposeOral mucosal lesions and developmental anomalies are frequently observed in dental practice. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of oral mucosal lesions and developmental anomalies in dental patients in a teaching hospital in northern Taiwan. Materials and methodsThe study group comprised 2050 consecutive dental patients. From January 2003 to December 2007, the patients received oral examination and treatment in the dental department of the Chang Gung Memorial Hospital (Taipei, Taiwan). ResultsOnly 7.17% of dental patients had no oral mucosal lesions or developmental anomalies. Twenty-three different types of oral mucosal lesions or developmental anomalies were diagnosed. The most common lesion was Fordyce granules (82.8%), followed by buccal exostosis (34.1%), torus mandibularis (24.2%), torus palatinus (21.1%), lingual varices (16.2%), and recurrent aphthous ulcerations (4.3%). Fordyce granules, lingual varices, and buccal exostosis were the three most common oral developmental anomalies in elderly patients. Fordyce granules, buccal exostosis, torus mandibularis, lingual varices, and oral submucous fibrosis were more prevalent in men than in women. Fordyce granules occurred more commonly in adults than in children and were more commonly present in the labial and buccal mucosae than in any other oral mucosal sites. The anterior region of the jaws frequently contained buccal exostoses. Torus palatinus occurred more frequently in female patients than in male patients. Recurrent aphthous ulcerations were more common in patients under 18 years old. ConclusionThis study provides important data about the types and prevalence of oral mucosal lesions and developmental anomalies in dental patients in a teaching hospital in northern Taiwan.

Prevalence of oral mucosal lesions in patients of the Kuwait University Dental Center

The purpose of this study was to determine the number, types, and locations of oral mucosal lesions in patients who attended the Admission Clinic at the Kuwait University Dental Center to determine prevalence and risk factors for oral lesions. Intraoral soft tissue examination was performed on new patients seen between January 2009 and February 2011. The lesions were divided into six major groups: white, red, pigmented, ulcerative, exophytic, and miscellaneous. Five hundred thirty patients were screened, out of which 308 (58.1%) had one or more lesions. A total of 570 oral lesions and conditions were identified in this study, of which 272 (47.7%) were white, 25 (4.4%) were red, 114 (20.0%) were pigmented, 21 (3.7%) were ulcerative, 108 (18.9%) were exophytic, and 30 (5.3%) were in the miscellaneous group. Overall, Fordyce granules (n=116; 20.4%) were the most frequently detected condition. A significantly higher (p<0.001) percentage of older patients (21-40years and ⩾41years) had oral mucosal lesions than those in the ⩽20years age group. A significantly higher (p<0.01) percentage of smokers had oral mucosal lesions than did nonsmokers. Most of the lesions and conditions were found on the buccal mucosa and gingiva. White, pigmented, and exophytic lesions were the most common types of oral mucosal lesions found in this study. Although most of these lesions are innocuous, the dentist should be able to recognize and differentiate them from the worrisome lesions, and decide on the appropriate treatment.

Clinico-epidemiological profile of oral potentially malignant and malignant conditions among areca nut, tobacco and alcohol users in Eastern India: A hospital based study

Context:With an increase in the abuse of various oral habitual products in India over the past few decades; the incidence of oral potentially malignant conditions as leukoplakia, oral submucous fibrosis and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) rates have also increased. No recent study has been conducted reporting the scenario of oral cancer and potentially malignant conditions in Eastern India (specifically Kolkata).Aims:The present study was conducted at Dr. R. Ahmed Dental College, Kolkata during 2010-2011 to find a possible correlation between the effects of the different oral habits, age, sex and the different types of oral mucosal lesions among patients reported to the hospital. This study also enabled us to see the predilection of the various histopathological stages of the lesions for different sites of the oral cavity.Subjects and Methods:The study group consisted of 698 patients having either oral potentially malignant or malignant lesion. The control group consisted of 948 patients who had reported to the hospital for different oral/dental problems and had the habit of tobacco, areca nut and/or alcohol usage for at least 1 year.Statistical Analysis:The unadjusted odds ratio, the 95% confidence interval, and the P value were calculated to correlate patients with/without different kinds of habit and having/not having various kinds of oral lesions.Results:Our study shows that for males having the habit of taking smokeless tobacco or mixed habit poses the highest risk for developing SCC. For females, significant risk of developing SCC was found in patients habituated to processed areca nut chewing.Conclusion:This study presents probably for the first time in recent years the occurrence of oral potentially malignant and malignant conditions amongst patients having deleterious habits in a hospital based population of Kolkata.

Oral mucosal lesions in skin diseased patients attending a dermatologic clinic: a cross-sectional study in Sudan

BackgroundSo far there have been no studies focusing on the prevalence of a wide spectrum of oral mucosal lesions (OML) in patients with dermatologic diseases. This is noteworthy as skin lesions are strongly associated with oral lesions and could easily be neglected by dentists. This study aimed to estimate the frequency and socio-behavioural correlates of OML in skin diseased patients attending outpatient's facility of Khartoum Teaching Hospital - Dermatology Clinic, Sudan.MethodsA cross-sectional hospital-based study was conducted in Khartoum from October 2008 to January 2009. A total of 588 patients (mean age 37.2 ± 16 years, 50.3% females) completed an oral examination and a personal interview of which 544 patients (mean age 37.1 ± 15.9 years, 50% females) with confirmed skin disease diagnosis were included for further analyses. OML were recorded using the World Health Organization criteria (WHO). Biopsy and smear were used as adjuvant techniques for confirmation. Data were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (Version 15.0.1). Cross tabulation and Chi-square with Fisher's exact test were used.ResultsA total of 438 OML were registered in 315 (57.9%, males: 54.6% versus females: 45.6%, p < 0.05) skin diseased patients. Thus, a certain number of patients had more than one type of OML. Tongue lesions were the most frequently diagnosed OML (23.3%), followed in descending order by white lesions (19.1%), red and blue lesions (11%) and vesiculobullous diseases (6%). OML in various skin diseases were; vesiculobullous reaction pattern (72.2%), lichenoid reaction pattern (60.5%), infectious lesions (56.5%), psoriasiform reaction pattern (56.7%), and spongiotic reaction pattern (46.8%). Presence of OML in skin diseased patients was most frequent in older age groups (62.4% older versus 52.7% younger, p < 0.05), in males (63.2% males versus 52.6% females, p < 0.05), patients with a systemic disease (65.2% with systemic versus 51.9% without systemic disease, p < 0.05) and among current users of smokeless tobacco (toombak) (77% current use versus 54.8% no use, p < 0.00).ConclusionsOML were frequently diagnosed in skin diseased patients and varied systematically with age, gender, systemic condition and use of toombak. The high prevalence of OML emphasizes the importance of routine examination of oral mucosa in a dermatology clinic.

Effect of CD4+ lymphocyte count, viral load, and duration of taking antiretroviral treatment on presence of oral lesions in a sample of South African children with HIV+/AIDS

This was to determine the presence and types of oral mucosal lesions in a sample of HIV(+)/AIDS South African children taking antiretroviral therapy and to investigate the relationship between CD4(+) lymphocyte counts, viral load, duration of taking antiretroviral therapy (DART), and age on presence of oral lesions. The samples consisted of 56 South African children aged 0-4 years (mean age =7.09 years) with HIV(+)/AID, infected at birth. Subjects were divided into two groups according to the presence of oral lesions with test group (patients with oral lesions) and control group (patients with no oral lesions). Children were also divided into two groups, those <6 years and those >6 years old to study the effect of age on presence of lesions. Oral Candidiasis was the most common lesion reported in 19/56 children, followed by Recurrent Herpetic Infection in 9 children. Other lesions such as Kaposi's sarcoma, Multifocal Epithelial Hyperplasia, Oral Hairy Leukoplakia, Linear Gingival Erythema, and oral ulceration were also present. A statistical significant difference in CD4(+) lymphocyte count (p value 0.005), and viral load (p value 0.002) was found between the oral lesion and no oral lesion groups, those with oral lesions having a significantly higher viral load and lower CD4+ count. No statisticaly significant difference between the two groups in terms of the DART effect (p value 0.811) was found. Furthermore, there was no effect of age groups on the presence of lesions in children with HIV(+)/AIDS. This study contributes to the relatively scant literature on the prevalence of oral lesions in children with HIV infection in South Africa and also the relationship of these lesions to the viral load and CD4(+) lymphocyte counts.