Prevalence of tongue lesions in Hungarian children.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of tongue lesions in Hungarian children in relation to age, sex, systemic diseases and allergies. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 1017 preschool and school children aged 1-14 years were examined. The age, sex and tongue lesions diagnosed were recorded together with any history of systemic diseases and allergies. RESULTS: Tongue lesions were found in 35.11% of all the children examined. Fissured tongue was the most frequent lesion (29.2%), apparently associated with age and sex. It occurred more commonly in boys, and in older children, than in girls and younger children. Geographic tongue was found in 5.7%, occurred more often in boys, and a relationship existed between fissured and geographic tongue. Among the children with geographic tongue 44.82% also had fissured tongue. These findings agree in general with the epidemiological data reported on population samples elsewhere in the world. Crenated tongue occurred in 0.68%, central papillary atrophy in 0.78%, and partial ankyloglossia in 0.88% of the children examined: confirming the rarity of these lesions. Although there was no obvious correlation with systemic diseases, geographic tongue appeared to be coincident with a history of allergic diathesis in some cases. CONCLUSION: In some cases early recognition of tongue lesions may provide useful diagnostic markers for some diseases.

Risk group assessment of oral precancer attached to X-ray lung-screening examinations.

The mortality rate of oral tumours in Hungary, as in some other countries, is increasing. In order to assess risk groups for oral cancer and precancer, oral examinations were carried out as part of the X-ray screenings for lung cancer in the 3rd district of Budapest, Hungary. There were 5,034 adults who participated voluntarily in these investigations. After completing a questionnaire with 23 questions, a short oral examination was performed. Males comprised 57.7% of the group, and the age-distribution among men and women was similar. Oral precancerous lesions were found in 3.7% of the whole group, in 3.3% of those with leukoplakia, and in 0.4% of those with oral lichen planus. The prevalence of leukoplakia in men was 5.8%, and in women 1.5%, with significantly higher prevalences in men and women over 40. Among the examined persons there were 31% who were smokers, and 6% reported that they were regular consumers of alcohol. Fifty-four percent of those examined reported that they did not visit the dentist regularly. Oral complaints came mostly from those with lichen planus. The described model, where the oral screening examinations are done in conjunction with other examinations, in a so-called multiphasic screening system, seems to be a worthwhile approach for early diagnosis of oral cancer and precancer.

[Epidemiologic survey of tongue lesions and analysis of the etiologic factors involved]. / A nyelvelváltozások epidemiológiai felmérése és aetiológiai tényezöinek vizsgálata.

The prevalence of tongue lesions, and relationships with different systemic diseases, according to the international literature of epidemiologic studies were reviewed. The data were compared with a Hungarian investigation of 5034 individuals, between 1992 and 1995 in Budapest. Tongue lesions were found in 22.76% of the examined individuals. The ratio was similar in women (51%) and men (49%). Fissured tongue was found in 21.49%, geographic tongue in 2.21%, atrophic tongue in 0.12% and central papillar atrophy in 0.70%. These data agree in general with the epidemiological data found in the international literature. Some rare tongue alterations were also investigated. Lingua indentata was found in 1.49% and hypertrophy of papillae foliatae was found in 0.20%. The relationship with different systemic diseases was the following: In diabetes mellitus tongue lesions were found in 29.03%, in hypertension in 28.63%, connected to heart- and vascular diseases in 25.15%, to haematologic diseases in 17.54%. Tongue lesions were found in 23.86% in the case of liver disease, in 22.38% in gastrointestinal diseases and in 20.69% associated to tumors. In the case of Candida's infection tongue alterations were found in 41.6%, in smokers in 23.72%. Tongue lesions caused complaints rarely, only in 2.27%. The recognition of tongue lesions may be helpful in the early diagnosis of systemic diseases.