Oral Medicine / Surgery

Your dentist would advise you of any oral conditions / disease detected during your check-up.

Some common oral conditions:

Cysts
Cysts are fluid filled sacs. They can either occur in the soft tissue like the lip, or in the hard tissue of the jaw bone. These cysts are benign and they are usually surgically removed.

White lesions (Leucoplakia)
White lesions are often seen in the oral mucosa of the cheek, gums, tongue or lip. They may a result of constant trauma or irritation. Although most of them are benign, a small number of lesions can be pre-cancerous. Excisional biopsy is usually recommended to ascertain the nature of the lesion.

Oral manifestation of medical conditions
On examination, the oral cavity may exhibit manifestations of underlying systemic disease and serve as an indicator of overall health. Systemic diseases with oral findings include autoimmune, hematologic, endocrine, and neoplastic processes.

Lichen Planus, a net-like lesion of the oral mucosa, may be attributed to an autoimmune condition. Autoimmune systemic conditions may manifest as oral ulcerations, changes in the salivary and parotid glands, and changes in the tongue.

If the salivary glands are affected, they may produce less saliva and this leads to a condition known as dry mouth. In patients with dry mouth, the teeth are at a high risk of developing caries and the dentist should monitor the incidence of dental caries more closely. The dry mucosa is also more prone to ulcers.

Patients with gastroesophageal reflux and eating disorders may present with erosions of the enamel and dentine of the teeth. Patients may also complain of oral pain or halitosis (bad breath).