ORAL MANIFESTATIONS IN THE MOST COMMON PEDIATRIC INFECTIOUS DISEASES

Abstract

Childhood viral and bacterial infections may cause oral symptoms that might help early diagnosis and treatment and support the prevention efforts of pediatricians and parents. Oral lesions can clinically mimic malignancy and genetic disorders. The inflammatory changes of oral mucosa during childhood infectious diseases pose some challenges during differential diagnosis, due to the wide range of etiologies. Global migration and gaps in vaccination coverage have allowed viral infections to expand and reemerge. This review highlights the clinical features and treatment recommendations of childhood infections that can be encountered in dental practice, with a short description of the underlying systemic illness. Thorough patient history and physical examination are essential for determining the infectious agent that affects oral cavity. Treatment strategies customized for the pediatric age group are guiding the management of oral and perioral lesions from infancy through adolescence. The clinical features, diagnosis criteria, and treatment algorithms of the most common pediatric infectious diseases are summarized based on their prevalence. Dentists can play an important role in early identification of various childhood infections through soft tissue lesion investigation. Due to the numerous oral complications, vaccination awareness is another important task assigned to dentists

Keywords

• pediatric oral lesions
• herpes simplex virus
• varicella
• hand
• foot and mouth disease
• herpangina
• rubeola
• rubella
• scarlet fever