Stomatitis

On this page

Stomatitis: Intro & Etiology - Mouth's Mayhem Makers

Stomatitis: Inflammation of oral mucosa; painful, red, may ulcerate.

  • Etiology - Diverse Causes:
    • Infectious:
      • Viral: HSV-1 (kids), Coxsackie (HFMD), VZV
      • Bacterial: ANUG (Vincent's angina)
      • Fungal: Candida albicans (thrush)
    • Traumatic: Physical (dentures), chemical, thermal injury
    • Aphthous Ulcers: Recurrent, painful; immune-mediated suspected
    • Allergic/Irritant: Foods, drugs, dental products
    • Systemic Links:
      • Autoimmune: Pemphigus, Behçet's
      • Nutritional: Fe, Vit B12, folate deficiency
      • GI: Crohn's, celiac disease
    • Drug-Induced: Chemotherapy, antibiotics, NSAIDs

⭐ Primary herpetic gingivostomatitis (HSV-1) is the most common cause of acute generalized stomatitis in children.

Aphthous & Herpetic Stomatitis - Ulcer Wars

📌 Mnemonic: Aphthous = Away from bone (non-keratinized); Herpetic = Hard/fixed sites (keratinized).

  • Aphthous Stomatitis (RAS - Canker Sores)
    • Etiology: Immune-mediated; stress, trauma triggers.
    • Location: Non-keratinized mucosa (buccal, labial, ventral tongue).
    • Lesion: Painful, round/oval ulcer; yellowish-gray pseudomembrane, erythematous halo. No vesicles.
    • Recurrence: Frequent.
  • Herpetic Stomatitis (HSV-1 - Cold Sores/Fever Blisters)
    • Etiology: Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV-1).
    • Location: Primarily keratinized mucosa (gingiva, hard palate), vermillion border.
    • Lesion: Multiple vesicles → rupture to form coalescing, painful ulcers.
    • Prodrome: Common (tingling, burning); fever, malaise in primary infection (Primary Herpetic Gingivostomatitis).
    • Diagnosis: Tzanck smear shows multinucleated giant cells.

Aphthous Ulcer (Canker Sore) Overview

⭐ Recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) is the most common oral mucosal disease, characterized by painful, recurrent oral ulcers typically on non-keratinized mucosa.

Other Key Stomatitides - Diverse Oral Dilemmas

  • Denture Stomatitis:
    • Inflammation of denture-bearing mucosa; often asymptomatic.
    • Presents as erythema, edema.
    • Key cause: Candida albicans, ill-fitting dentures.

    ⭐ Denture stomatitis, often asymptomatic, is most commonly associated with Candida albicans and typically presents as erythema and edema of the denture-bearing mucosa.

  • Angular Cheilitis (Perleche):
    • Erythema, fissuring at mouth corners.
    • Causes: Candida, nutritional deficiencies (Fe, B2, B12, folate), ↓ vertical dimension of occlusion.
  • Median Rhomboid Glossitis:
    • Well-demarcated erythematous, depapillated rhomboid area on tongue dorsum midline.
    • Associated with chronic Candida infection.
  • Geographic Tongue (Benign Migratory Glossitis):
    • Migratory, depapillated erythematous patches with keratotic white borders.
    • Usually asymptomatic; unknown etiology.
  • Hairy Tongue (Lingua Villosa):
    • Elongation of filiform papillae; discolored (black, brown, yellow).
    • Causes: poor oral hygiene, smoking, antibiotics, oxidizing mouthwashes. Oral candidiasis clinical and histological presentation

Stomatitis: Dx & Management - Soothe & Solve Plan

  • Diagnosis: Primarily clinical (history, lesion appearance).
    • Key Qs: Duration? Triggers? Systemic symptoms? Habits (tobacco/alcohol)?
    • Biopsy: If solitary ulcer >2-3 weeks, suspicious, or uncertain diagnosis.
  • Management Principles ("Soothe & Solve"):
    • Identify & eliminate cause (irritants, infection, systemic).
    • Soothe: Topical analgesics/anesthetics (lignocaine), chlorhexidine mouthwash.
    • Solve: Specific Rx (antivirals, antifungals, antibiotics, steroids).
    • Support: Oral hygiene, soft bland diet, hydration.

⭐ Any solitary oral ulcer persisting for more than 2-3 weeks, especially in a patient with risk factors (smoking, alcohol), requires biopsy to exclude malignancy.

High‑Yield Points - ⚡ Biggest Takeaways

  • Aphthous ulcers: recurrent, painful, typically on non-keratinized mucosa; strong association with Behçet's disease.
  • Herpetic stomatitis (HSV-1): painful vesicles, often on keratinized mucosa (e.g., gingiva, hard palate); Tzanck smear reveals multinucleated giant cells.
  • Oral candidiasis (Thrush): white, curd-like plaques that can be scraped off, revealing an erythematous base; common in immunocompromised patients, infants, and steroid users.
  • Vincent's angina (ANUG): characterized by painful, bleeding gums, fetid breath, and "punched-out" interdental papillae; caused by spirochetes and fusiform bacteria.
  • Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease: caused by Coxsackie A virus; presents with oral vesicles and characteristic lesions on hands, feet, and buttocks.
  • Oral Lichen Planus: may present with Wickham's striae (white, lacy pattern); can be erosive and painful; autoimmune basis suspected.

Practice Questions: Stomatitis

Test your understanding with these related questions

Which is the most common manifestation of recurrent HSVl infection:

1 of 5

Flashcards: Stomatitis

1/7

The _____ is progressively pushed upwards and backward threatening the airway, in Ludwig's angina

TAP TO REVEAL ANSWER

The _____ is progressively pushed upwards and backward threatening the airway, in Ludwig's angina

tongue

browseSpaceflip

Enjoying this lesson?

Get full access to all lessons, practice questions, and more.

Start Your Free Trial