Prevalence of oral mucosal lesions in a representative population.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and intraoral distribution of oral mucosal lesions in a representative adult population (Study of Health in Pomerania/Germany).

METHOD AND MATERIALS

The study sample comprised 6267 randomly selected subjects who were scheduled for examination from 1997 to 2001 (population-based cross-sectional study; response rate: 69%; age range 20 to 81 years).

RESULTS

The prevalence of oral mucosal lesions was age dependent (5.56% in 20- to 29-year-olds to 19.55% in 70- to 81-year-olds) with an overall prevalence of 11.83%. The prevalence in men (12.20%) was slightly higher than in women (11.40%). Exophytic neoplasia was the most prevalent alteration (3.00%), followed by leukoplakia simplex (prevalence 2.85%). Premalignant lesions were found in 0.57% of the participants, with lichen ruber mucosae contributing the major part (0.48%). Exophytic neoplasia was most often situated in the buccal mucosa, the hard palate, or the mucosa of the lower lip.

CONCLUSION

These data stress the importance of screening for oral mucosal lesions, especially because of a predicted increase in the number of elderly persons in industrialized countries.