An article published in the April issue of The Clinical Advisor provides a summary of the diagnosis and treatment of some of the most common oral lesions primary-care clinicians encounter in their practices. Dr. Weiss and co-authors note that during routine physical examinations, primary-care clinicians will observe a variety of oral conditions, including superficial mucosal lesions, masses, and tumors that affect the oral cavity. In descending order of prevalence, common oral lesions include recurrent aphthous stomatitis; hyperkeratosis; candidiasis and angular cheilitis; oral nevi; leukoedema; benign migratory glossitis; squamous cell carcinoma; acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis; lichen planus; and herpes labialis. Oral pathology facts provided in the article include: (1) tobacco users are almost 4 times as likely to have an oral lesion than those who have never used tobacco products; (2) more than half of all intraoral cancers in the United States are located on the tongue; and (3) candidiasis is present intraorally without clinical manifestation in 30% to 50% of people.
(Source: Accessed online on April 20, 2010, clinicaladvisor.com)
