Oral lesions afflict children and adults, and the pharmacist may be the first point of contact regarding treatment.
The prevalence of many oral lesions depends significantly on individual characteristics.
Thus, prevalence rates should be based on studies of general populations and be stratified by risk factors for the specific lesion.
These factors include sex, age, race/ethnicity, tobacco use, and use of removable dentures.
According to the most current data available, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 1988-1994, about 28.24% of an adult group present with oral lesions.
Pharmacists should be cognizant of common oral lesions and the various medications used for their management.
► Read Also: ORAL MEDICINE : How Do I Manage a Patient with Burning Mouth Syndrome?
Oral lesions may present as a multitude of different diagnoses, ranging from benign to malignant.
This article reviews several oral lesions and conditions, including traumatic/irritational lesions, candidiasis, primary and recurrent herpes infection, recurrent aphthous ulcers, lichen planus, leukoplakia, erythroplakia, mucocele, and xerostomia.
Mea A. Weinberg, DMD, MSD, RPh / William James Maloney, DDS
Disqus comments