Oral Medicine or Pathological Oral Stomatology
Oral Medicine or Pathological Oral Stomatology is a specialty of Dentistry that deals with the study, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of diseases of the maxillofacial area, ie with the diseases of the soft (lip, tongue, cheeks), salivary glands and bone of the jaw (palate, mouth base).
These conditions may be of topical or systemic etiology.
The Special Stomatologist
The choice of Special Dentist is important, as the stomatologist is the competent doctor to deal with the wide range of problems found in the oral region. Depending on the case, the stomatologist will proceed to treat the problem either conservatively, with medication, or with some minor surgery, if necessary.
Frequent symptoms
The patient should consult a stomatologist immediately if he or she develops symptoms in the oral cavity such as:
- Pain, dry mouth, tingling, burning, taste disturbance,
- White or red spots, rashes, cysts, recurrent pustules, non-stopping wounds
A preventive oral examination, particularly in high-risk individuals, smokers, people who consume large amounts of alcohol) is very important as it can help in the early diagnosis and treatment of serious illnesses.
Oral Diseases
The diseases found in the oral region are of many kinds and their treatment must be personalized, as any inappropriate treatment can impose a multitude of additional problems and complications. These conditions may be of topical or systemic etiology or of an undesirable side effect of a medication.
Common Diseases of the mouth are traumatic ulcers, ulcers due to oral diseases, stomatitis, dry mouth, precancerous lesions, oral cancer.
In the oral cavity, dermatological disorders like pustules, herpes, blood diseases, infections (viruses, fungi, bacteria), autoimmune diseases, as well as lesions that develop in the oral cavity after antineoplastic treatments (chemotherapy, radiotherapy) may also occur. Below are some of the common disorders that the stomatologist has to deal with:
Traumatic ulcers
Traumatic ulcer belongs to the inflammatory lesions of the mouth. This is a wound, which may be due to either malodorous seals, veneers or denture hooks that injure the mucous membrane of the mouth, or even the sharp teeth or bite. Once the problem is found and diagnosed, treatment for the traumatic ulcers lasts for 10 to 15 days.
Stomatitis & Poor denture application
This is another inflammatory disease of the mouth. The term “stomatitis” is used to describe a number of conditions, which are usually identified with the development of fungi in the mouth. One of the most common stomatitis cases is stomatitis due to poor denture application which causes redness of the mucosa at the point of contact with the denture.
Precancerous Lesions & Cancer of the mouth
Precancerous lesions, such as leukoplakia, a white plaque of the non-detachable oral mucosa, should be carefully studied by the stomatologist and a biopsy taken as it may develop into oral cancer.
Symptoms & Diagnosis
The possibility of cancer should also be considered cautiously when symptoms such as ulcers or wounds in the mouth persist and do not subside for a long time, or when a tumor whose size increases gradually appears.
The final diagnosis is made following a microscopic examination and the biopsy results.
Causes
The main risk factors that cause cancer in the mouth are:
- Smoking
- Alcohol
- Infection from HPV (Human Papillomavirus)
- Heredity Causes
Treatment
Treatment is selected as appropriate. Of great importance for the correct treatment of the disease, is its early diagnosis by the Specialized Stomatologist. Proactive oral examinations are important, especially in high-risk individuals, such as those with a family history of oral cancer, smokers, people who consume large amounts of alcohol) as it can help in the early diagnosis and treatment of serious disorders.