Oral Ulcers Flashcards
What is an ulcer?
A localised breach in the mucosa, resulting in inflammation and exposing underlying connective tissue.
What can cause oral ulceration?
Trauma
Stress
Nutrient deficiencies
Viral/bacterial infection
Immunological issue
Allergy/hypersensitivity
What can indicate what the cause of an ulcer may be?
Site
Onset
Duration
Number
Texture
Appearance
How can you identify a traumatic ulcer?
White keratinised border
Clear causal agent
Surrounding mucosa soft
How do you identify aphthous ulcers?
Yellow in centre
Red at the border
What types of aphthous ulcers?
Major - larger than 1cm
Minor - smaller than 1cm
Herpetiform - multiple small lesion
What blood tests are commonly used to investigate anaemia?
Full blood count
B12 screen
Folate Screen
Ferritin Screen
Coeliac screen
What is necrotising sialometaplasia?
Necrotising disease of minor salivary glands.
What further questions would you ask about a patients GI tract if they present with ulcers?
Abdominal pain
PR Bloodmucous
Altered bowel motion
Unintentional weight loss
Which features of a lesion may indicate oral cancer?
Hard to touch
Raised
Rolled borders
Exophytic
How can you differentiate between a neoplasm and an ulcer?
An ulcer will be free moving, where as if you tried to move a neoplastic lesion then the tissue under the lesion will also move.
What is included in haematinic bloods?
Ferritin, folate, B12.
What should you do if you suspect a malignancy?
Urgently refer to OMFS
Which immunological issues can cause oral mucosal ulceration?
Lichen planus
Lupus
Vesiculo-bullous
Erthema multiforme
Which GI diseases can manifest themselves as ulceration in the oral cavity?
Crohn’s disease
Ulcerative colitis
What are the causes of single episode oral ulceration?
Trauma
1st episode of recurrent ulcer
Primary viral infection
Oral squamous cell carcinoma
What are the causes of recurrent oral ulceration?
Apthous ulceration
Lichen planus
Vesiculobullous lesions
Viral lesion
Trauma
Systemic disease
Describe the oral ulcers that may present due to Crohn’s disease?
Mixture of ulcer types, including aphthous and ones specific to Crohn’s.
What are Crohn’s specific ulcers and how do you treat them?
Crohn’s specific ulcers present as linear lesions at the depth of the sulcus.
They are full of Crohn’s associated granumolas, and can persist for months.
Intralesional steroids may help.
What questions should you ask a patient about an oral ulcer?
How long have they had it?
Does it keep recurring?
Is it painful?
How long should an ulcer be persistent for before you become suspicious?
More than 2 weeks.
When examining an ulcer what aspects should be looked at?
Margins - raised/flat/rolled
Base - soft/firm/hard
Surrounding tissue - inflamed/normal
Size of lesion - >1mm/<1mm
Is it growing - yes/no/shrinking
Is there any systemic illness