ABC of oral health: Swellings and red, white, and pigmented lesions

doi:10.1136/bmj.321.7255.225

BMJ 2000;321:225-228 ( 22 July )

Clinical review

ABC of oral health

Swellings and red, white, and pigmented lesions

Crispian Scully, Stephen Porter.

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

	Swellings

It is not unknown for people to discover and worry about oral lumps, but they usually first notice a lump because it becomessore. Pathological causes include a range of different lesions,but neoplasms are most important (see earlier article).

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Most salivary swellings are caused by mucoceles in minor glands in the lower lip. These are best removed surgically. In themajor glands salivary duct obstruction is more common, but sialadenitis,Sjogren's syndrome, and neoplasms are important causes to be excluded.It can be difficult to establish whether a salivary gland is genuinelyswollen, especially in obese patients. A useful guide to whethera patient has parotid enlargement is to look for outward deflectionof the ear lobe, which is seen in true parotidswelling.

Management $---$ Diagnosis is mainly clinical, but investigations such as serology for autoantibodies or HIV antibodies, liver functiontests, and needle or open biopsy may be . . . [Full text of this article]

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