Practice abstract
British Dental Journal 199, 91 - 92 (2005)
Published online: 23 July 2005 | doi:10.1038/sj.bdj.4812523
Gingival lesions as a first symptom of pemphigus vulgaris in pregnancy
P López-Jornet1 & A Bermejo-Fenoll2
- Presents the case of a pregnant woman with erosions and desquamation with erythematose areas only on the gingiva due to Pemphigus vulgaris.
- Gingival lesions comprise severe desquamative or erosive gingivitis.
- Often the disease initially manifests on the gingiva so dentists should be the first to recognise it.
- An early diagnosis reduces the need to use a high dose of corticoids.
Abstract
The erosive gingival lesions associated with vesiculobullous diseases can be an important early clinical manifestation of serious diseases such as pemphigus vulgaris (PV). PV is a vesiculobullous disease of the skin and mucosa which tends to be chronic and which normally affects people of 40-60 years of age.1, 2, 34, 5 Its incidence varies from 0.5 to 3.2 cases per 100,000 per year.6, 7 Mucosal lesions are located mainly in the oral and pharyngeal mucosa, although conjunctiva, larynx, nasal mucosa, vulva, vagina, cervix, and ano-rectal mucosa may also be involved. It is a serious mucocutaneous disease of an autoimmune nature, whose appearance during pregnancy is extremely rare.8, 9, 10
- Assistant Professor of Oral Medicine, Centro Hospital Morales Meseguer, Clínica Odontológica Universitaria, Adv. Marques de los Vélez s/n, Murcia 30008, Spain
- Chairman of Oral Medicine, Centro Hospital Morales Meseguer, Clínica Odontológica Universitaria, Adv. Marques de los Vélez s/n, Murcia 30008, Spain
Correspondence to: P López-Jornet1 Email: e-mail: majornet@um.es
