TUBERCULOSIS OF THE CHEEK Jaafar M Khalaf FICMS, ENT Consultant, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, AL-Sadir Teaching Hospital, Basrah, Iraq.

Abstract

Tuberculosis is a chronic granuloma- tous disease which in humans is mainly caused by Mycobacterium Tuberculosis, Mycobacterium Bovis and atypical Mycobacteria1. The disease can affect various parts of the body but oral involvement is rare. Tuberculosis of extra- oral region is uncommon and is rarely primary. It is commonly seen secondary to pulmonary tuberculosis2. It is estimated that only 0.05% of total tuberculosis cases may present with oral manifestations. The descending order of incidence of tubercular involvement of oral region is as follows: the tongue, soft palate, uvula, gingiva, lips and salivary glands3.

Keywords

• tuberculosis of the cheek