Mucosal Colour Changes Flashcards
Causes of oral white lesions
- Hereditary - white sponge naevus
- Smoking/frictional
- Lichen planus
- Candidal leukoplakia
- Carcinoma- SSC
Thickening of mucosa/white lesion is caused by ____
Increase in keratin
Define leukoplakia
White patch can’t be scraped off or attributed to any other cause
1-5% become malignant
Diagnosis of exclusion
When to refer a lesion
Inc in size, colour,consistency
Unexplained - no cause
High risk area/SH
Any symptomatic lesion not responded to tx
Why are lesions red?
Blood flow increases from inflammation/dysplasia
Reduced thickness of epithelium
Define erythroplakia
Red patch no cause
More concerning than leukoplakia
What is a fordyce spot?
Collection of normal sebaceous glands within the oral cavity
What is smokers keratosis
Premalignant
Trauma from tobacco–> pathological production of keratin
What would you tell a pt with smokers keratosis
Low malignant potential of the lesion
BUT high oral cancer risk overall
List some localised causes of mucosal colour change
Amalgam tatto
Malignant melanoma/melanotic macule
Haemangioma
List some generalised causes for mucosal colour change (5)
Race/familial
Smoking
Drugs
Addisons disease - increased ACTH
Red patch causes
Erosive LP
Mucositis
Anaemia
Denture stomatitis
Geographic tongue
Angular cheilitis
SSC
Protocol for lesions
Take pics, KUO, send pics to specialist if concerned
When to refer swellings
Symptomatic (pain=salivary gland malignancy sign)
Abnormal mucosa
Inc in size, rubbery consistency
