Asymptomatic and Previously Undetected Oral Lesions as Incidental Findings and Association with Medical Comorbidities

Discovering the Undetected Oral Lesions

Abstract

Background: The diagnosis of life-threatening maxillofacial pathologies at a very late stage in developing countries made us ponder over the prevalence of unnoticed pathologies that are in early stages, to create awareness among patients and identify the systemic health risk factors associated with these pathologies. Objective: This study aimed to determine the frequency of unnoticed or ignored oral & maxillofacial pathologies, furthermore, to observe the association of systemic diseases with these pathologies, and most importantly, to inculcate the significance of routine oral screenings among patients to reduce the morbidity and mortality rate. Study Design: cross-sectional study. Settings: Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan. Duration: 16 January 2023 to 30 June 2023. Methods: 10800 participants recruited in the study. After obtaining informed consent, history and clinical examination were performed according to WHO guidelines. A record of all the oral and maxillofacial pathologies was made, which were recognized solely in clinical or radiographic examination as incidental findings. Data analysis was performed using Microsoft Excel for Mac version 16.56 (2021 Microsoft). Results: This study comprised of 54.7% female and 45.3% male with a mean age of 37.38 ± 15.26. The highest frequency of unnoticed pathologies was inflammatory and tongue lesions. Conclusion: The detection of a high percentage of oblivious oral & maxillofacial pathologies on clinical and radiographic examination exalts the significance of seeking regular oral care and screening by the patients. This will ensure the early detection of consequential pathologies.