OM- Mucosal Colour Changes Flashcards
Causes of oral white lesions
Hereditary
Smoking/frictional
Lichen planus, lupus erythematosus, GVHD
Candidal leukoplakia
Carcinoma
Why are white lesions white?
- Thickening of mucosa/keratin- less visibility of blood
- Less blood in tissues- due to vasoconstrictor
What is leukoplakia?
White patch which cannot be scraped off or attributed to any other cause- diagnosis of exclusion
What is this
Fordyce’s spots
What is this
Smoker’s keratosis
What does this show
Smokers/traumatic histology- increased keratin(keratosis) and mucosal pigment
When to refer a white lesion
If lesion raised and thickened- if red and white concentrate on red part
If lesion is without cause: lateral tongue, anterior FoM, soft palate
What should be included with referral
Clinical photograph
Why are red lesions red?
Blow flow increases- due to inflammation/dysplasia
Reduced thickness of epithelium
What is erythroplakia
Red patch which cannot be attributed to any other cause
Atrophic or non-keratotic end of spectrum
Is leukoplakia or erythroplakia more of a concern for malignancy
Erythroplakia
How are blue lesions caused
Dark lesion- slow moving blood- varicosities
Light blue- clear fluid- saliva(mucocele)
What do these 2 pictures show
Capillary haemangioma
Cavernous haemangioma
What should not be referred
Asymptomatic variations of normal mucosa
Causes of generalised brown/black lesions
Racial pigmentation
Smoking
Drugs
Addison’s disease
