Continued from Part 1
Tobacco and alcohol use are important risk factors for leukoplakia and oral cancer.
Drug-induced pemphigoid may be due to drugs acting as haptens or drug-induced immunological dysfunction.
Oral side effects caused by drugs are relatively uncommon but may be important. Some drugs almost invariably cause side effects in the mouth, for example dry mouth from many drugs, and oral ulcerswith some of the cytotoxic agents, while other drugs rarely cause oral complications. Some habits, such as the use of oral snuff (smokeless tobacco), can cause gum recession and leukoplakia (a precancerous white lesion) and possibly predispose to oral cancer whereas oral use of cocaine can cause gum ulceration or peeling of mouth tissues. Drugs that occasionally cause complications in the mouth are discussed below. Continue reading
Continued from Part 1
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Diagnosis of recurrent aphthous stomatitis is based on the history and clinical features, as no specific tests are available. Biopsy is rarely indicted and is only usually needed where a different diagnosis is suspected. However to exclude the systemic disorders, it is useful to undertake investigations on blood (for example full blood picture) and serum (for example ferritin levels and vitamin B12 measurements). Continue reading
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Although a variety of mouth ulcers may recur, for example those associated with mechanical trauma and skin disease; there is a group of ulcers that arise due to unknown causes whose natural history is characterized by frequent recurrences over a number of years. It is to this group that the collective term recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) is applied. Continue reading
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Oral ulceration is probably the commonest oral mucosal disease seen and it may also be the most serious. It is important therefore not to underestimate that ulcer in your mouth, especially if it persists for a long time. Continue reading