stomatitis
(stō-mă-tīt'ĭs 
)
[ stomato- + -itis ]
Inflammation of the mouth (including the lips, tongue, and mucous membranes).
Etiology: Stomatitis may be associated with viral infections, chemical irritation, radiation therapy, mouth breathing, paralysis of nerves supplying the oral area, chemotherapy that damages or destroys the mucous membranes, adverse reactions to other medicines, or acute sun damage to the lips. The nasal and oral mucosa are esp. vulnerable to trauma from dental appliances, nasal cannula, nasotracheal tubes, or catheters administering nutrients. These areas may also be damaged during surgery when an endotracheal tube is in place.
Symptoms: Symptoms include oral pain, esp. when eating or drinking, bad breath, or difficulty in swallowing. Findings include oral ulcers, friability of the mucous membranes, swollen cervical lymph nodes, and sometimes fever.
Patient Care: Treatment depends on the cause but is often symptomatic. The mucous membranes should be kept moist and clear of tenacious secretions. Care of the teeth and gingival tissues should be comprehensive and include flossing. The pain of stomatitis may be alleviated by systemic analgesics or application of anesthetic preparations to painful lesions. It is important for patients with dentures to clean their dentures thoroughly. Dentures should be removed from unconscious or stuporous patients.
SEE: toothbrushing.
corrosive s.Stomatitis resulting from intentional or accidental exposure to corrosive substances.
denture s.Stomatitis on the oral mucosa covered by full or partial dentures, most commonly seen on the palate although the inflammation may also be seen overlying the mand ible.
Although most patients are asymptomatic (the finding is noticed by dental professionals during oral examination, rather than by the patient), the condition should be treated to prevent progression to more serious oral diseases. Removal of plaque from dentures (as by brushing them carefully), removal of dentures at night, and sanitizing dentures regularly (as with an overnight soak in a chlorhexidine solution) all prevent the condition from occurring. Antifungal medications are used if fungi are isolated on culture swabs.
SYN: chronic atrophic cand idiasis .diphtheritic s.Stomatitis caused by infection with Corynebacterium diphtheriae.
SEE: diphtheria.
herpetic s.Stomatitis seen with primary infection with herpes simplex virus.
major aphthous s.Stomatitis in which large recurring or migrating painful ulcers appear within the oral cavity (on the gingiva and soft palate) and sometimes on the lips.
membranous s.Stomatitis accompanied by the formation of a false or adventitious membrane.
mercurial s.Stomatitis seen in those exposed to elemental mercury or mercury vapors.
Variant: stomatitis nicotina
Fissuring and the formation of hyperkeratotic papules on the palate, usually caused by habitual pipe smoking. It is a form of precancer.simple s.Stomatitis occurring in patches on the mucous membranes.
traumatic s.Stomatitis resulting from mechanical injury as from ill-fitting dentures, sharp jagged teeth, or biting the cheek.
ulcerative s.Necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis.