Mouth ulceration is common but it is important to be able to distinguish between simple benign ulcers (e.g. traumatic or aphthous) and those that are malignant. Tongue disorders are dealt with on p. 431.

Causes

Inflammatory

  • Inflammatory bowel disease

Infective

Bacterial

  • Acute ulcerative gingivitis (Vincent’s angina)

  • Syphilis

  • TB

Viral

  • Herpes simplex

  • Herpes zoster

  • Hand, foot and mouth

  • HIV

Fungal

  • Candidiasis

Neoplastic

  • Squamous cell carcinoma

  • Haematological disorders

  • Agranulocytosis

Haematological disorders

  • Anaemia

  • Leukaemia

  • Agranulocytosis

Skin disease-associated

  • Lichen planus

  • Pemphigus

  • Pemphigoid

  • Erythema multiforme

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