WHITE LESION (LEUKOPLAKIA)

• Lesions that appear as white patches in oral cavity
• White lesionsare normally seen in the oral cavity and are often found as an incidental finding on routine examination
• Oral white lesionscan be caused by a thickened keratotic layer or an accumulation of non-keratotic material.

• Leukoplakia is a condition in which thick, white or grayish patches form usually inside your mouth.
• Mild leukoplakia is usually harmless and often goes away on its own. (On Removal of cause)
• More serious cases may be linked to oral cancer and must be treated promptly.
• Regular dental care can help prevent recurrences.

SYMPTOMS:

• Leukoplakia occurs on parts of the body that have mucosal tissue, such as the mouth.
• The condition is marked by unusual-looking patches inside your mouth.
• Redness may be a sign of cancer. See your doctor right away if you have patches with red spots.
• Leukoplakia can occur on your gums, the inside of your cheeks, under or on your tongue, and even on your lips. The patches may take several weeks to develop. They’re rarely

CAUSES:

• The exact cause of leukoplakia is unknown.
• It’s primarily linked to tobacco use. Smoking is the most common cause. But chewing tobacco can also cause leukoplakia.

Other causes include:

• injury to the inside of your cheek, such as from biting
• rough, uneven teeth
• dentures, especially if improperly fitted
• inflammatory conditions of the body
• long-term alcohol use

HAIRY LEUKOPLAKIA:

• The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is the main cause of hairy leukoplakia. Once you get this virus, it remains in your body permanently. EBV is usually dormant.
• However, it can cause hairy leukoplakia patches to develop at any time. Outbreaks are more common in people with HIV or other immune problems.

HOW IS LEUKOPLAKIA DIAGNOSED?

• Leukoplakia which is non scrapable is usually diagnosed with an oral examination.
• If a patch looks suspicious, your healthcare provider will do a biopsy. To do a biopsy, they remove a small piece of tissue from one or more of your spots.
• They then send that tissue sample to a pathologist for diagnosis to check for precancerous or cancerous cells.

TREATMENT OPTIONS: