What is an oral mucosa change?
Oral mucosa changes are pathological changes of the mucosa in the area of the tongue, cheek, palate or jaw ridge. It can be roughness, elevation, hardening or thickening. Changes in color towards red or white are also possible.
The changed areas can form blisters, become sore or form nodules. Depending on the disease, many clinical pictures are possible. An oral mucosa disease should be clarified immediately and treated if necessary, before worse consequences (e.g. a cancerous disease) can arise.
Which oral mucosa changes are there?
Leukoplakia as a precursor of oral cavity carcinoma (cancer) on the cheek and tongue Squamous cell carcinoma Lichen ruber planus thrush herpes infection
- Leukoplakia as a precursor of oral cavity carcinoma (cancer) of the cheek and tongue
- Squamous cell carcinoma
- Lichen ruber planus
- Throng
- Herpes infection
Leukoplakia
Leukoplakia is a whitish, non-wipeable, non-itching, painless and sharply defined change in the oral mucosa, which usually does not regress completely. It develops mainly in the area of the lip and the inner cheek mucosa. The risk of developing leukoplakia is increased if chronic irritations affect the oral mucosa.
These include chemical stimuli, such as cigar or cigarette smoke, mechanical stimuli, such as ill-fitting dentures, and biological stimuli, such as viral infections. These noxae lead to a thickening of the uppermost skin layer, the so-called horny layer, which makes the vessels underneath unrecognizable and makes the area look whitish. The leukoplakia should be examined regularly by the dentist, since there is a risk of malignant degeneration depending on the degree of development.
If the findings are altered or enlarged, the dentist can take a sample and send it to a microbiological laboratory. There a detailed examination can take place and a malignant disease can be quickly detected and treated. The therapy of choice in this case is the complete surgical removal of the finding.
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