Malignancies of the tongue represent one of the greatest management challenges for the head and neck oncologist because of the adverse effects of treatment on oral and pharyngeal function, the eventual quality of life, and the poor prognosis of advanced disease.
The palate is divided anatomically into the hard palate (part of the oral cavity) and the soft palate (part of the oropharynx). Cancer of the soft palate accounts for approximately 2% of head and neck mucosal malignancies.
Many conditions can cause oral erythema, including localized trauma, infection, contact allergy, cancer, and other causes of inflammatory changes, as well as systemic diseases such as those that produce vesiculoerosive lesions or oral ulceration.
The oral cavity represents the first part of the digestive tube. Its primary function is to serve as the entrance of the alimentary tract and to initiate the digestive process by salivation and propulsion of the alimentary bolus into the pharynx
Researchers supported by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research,part of the National Institutes of Health, report today their initial success using a customized optical device that allows dentists to visualize in a completely new way whether a patient might have a developing oral cancer.
Candidiasis is the most common fungal infection of the mouth. This article, however, focuses on noncandidal oralfungal infections. Other Medscape Reference articles on candidiasis include Candidiasis, Chronic Mucocutaneous;Candidiasis, Mucosal; and Candidiasis, Cutaneous.
The oral examination is an area of physical diagnosis that, for a variety of reasons, traditionally receives minimal emphasis in the predoctoral medical curriculum. Nevertheless, much information can be gained through a systematic evaluation of the oral hard and soft tissues.
The oral mucosa is lined by stratified squamous epithelium and has topographic differences that correlate with physical demands or a higher degree of specialization.
Melanoacanthoma is a rare condition of oral mucosa that has been reported only in the last century. The lesion is characterized by a proliferation of both melanocytes and keratinocytes that results in pigmented macular or plaquelike lesions.
Neurofibroma is an uncommon benign tumor of the oral cavity derived from the cells that constitute the nerve sheath.