2 - Normal anatomy in oral medicine

Question 1

What are fordyce spots?

Answer 1

• sebaceous glands
• typically found on buccal mucosa and lips
• yellowish bumps
• no associated pathology

Question 2

What is linea alba?

Answer 2

• horizontal asymptomatic white lines founding buccal mucosa
• found along occlusal plane
  hyperkeratosis, acnthosis, prominent or reduced granular layer

Question 3

What is geographic tongue?

Answer 3

• aka benign migratory glossitis / erythema migrans
• loss of filiform papillae
• areas of tongue atrophy and hyperkeratinisation
• changes appearance, can also affect other areas in the mouth
• rarely requires intervention - usually symptomatic relief

Question 4

What is a fissured tongue?

Answer 4

• variation in normal anatomy
• no treatment necessary
• encourage good OH

Question 5

What is black hairy tongue?

Answer 5

• hyperplasia of filiform papillae
• build up of bacteria and food debris, pigment inducing fungi
• smoking, antibiotics, chlorhexidine and poor OH makes worse
• asymptomatic

Question 6

How do you address black hairy tongue?

Answer 6

• stop smoking
• stay hydrated
• exfoliate tongue with peach stone

Question 7

What is desquamative gingivitis?

Answer 7

• gull thickness erythema of gingiva
• descriptive term not a diagnosis
• not caused by plaque but is exacerbated by

Question 7

What are bony exostosis?

Answer 7

• tori
• benign overgrowth of calcified bone
• associated with parafunction
• typically painless
• more prone to ulceration

Question 8

What is physiological pigmentation?

Answer 8

• more common in non-white ethnicities
• increased melanin pigmentation
• can also be caused by various diseases, Addison’s disease, smokers melanosis, drug related pigmentation