3rd International Women's Dental Conference, Karachi, Pakistan, 19 - 20 February 2021
The importance of early diagnosis of desquamative gingival lesions
Desquamative gingivitis (DG) or desquamative gingival lesions (DGL), rather than being a disease, is a specific oral condition which is frequently associated with an underlying cause, such as mucocutaneous disorders, hormonal status, drug interactions, allergic reactions, and others. Patients may suffer from oral discomfort and burning sensation and both oral mucosa and gingiva may be affected. Thus, dental practitioners may be the first health care providers patients may prefer to visit. This puts them in an important position for the identification of the underlying cause and the differential diagnosis and contribute to a better management of such cases. Thus, dental practitioners need to be able to recognize the clinical characteristics lesions, the extent of the involvement of oral cavity (with a particular reference for gingiva), the most frequently affected sites, patients’ complaints (E.g. perceived oral discomfort, burning sensation, etc), periodontal/gingiva health status of such patients, and the impact of supportive oral care for the successful management of such cases.