Leukoplakia is a condition that results in the development of white plaques or patches on the tongue and oral mucosa. Mouth irritants and irritating behaviors, such as smoking, frequently cause leukoplakia. Leukoplakia is a precancerous lesion, and a biopsy may be advised to rule out cancer.
Leukoplakia is “a predominantly white patch or plaque that cannot be clinically or pathologically classified as any other disorder,” according to the World Health Organization (WHO)Trusted Source.
Leukoplakia is a condition where white, thickened patches develop on the tongue, bottom of the mouth, inside of the cheeks, and gums.
Leukoplakia can occur next to areas of cancer on the bottom of the mouth, and white areas mixed in with red areas (speckled leukoplakia) may indicate the potential for cancer. The majority of leukoplakia patches are noncancerous (benign), though some show early signs of cancer.
SYMPTOMS OF LEUKOPLAKIA
Leukoplakia may appear:
- White or grayish patches.
- Irregular or flat-textured
- In some places, thick or hard
- In addition to raised, red lesions that are more likely to exhibit precancerous changes (speckled leukoplakia or erythroplakia).
- lumps or patches in the mouth that are white, red, or dark
- Mouth tissues that have undergone ongoing changes
- Ear pain when swallowing
- your jaw’s opening capacity will gradually deteriorate
CAUSES OF LEUKOPLAKIA
Although the exact causes of leukoplakia are unknown, chronic irritation from behaviors like chewing and smoking tobacco may contribute to the condition.
Other factors could be persistent irritation from:
- tongue surfaces are rubbed by teeth that are crooked, broken, or sharp.
- Broken or ill-fitting dentures
- Long-term alcohol use
RISK FACTORS
Long-term alcohol use and drinking alcohol while also smoking raise the risk of leukoplakia and oral cancer. Smoking and use of tobacco, especially smokeless tobacco, also increase the risk.
COMPLICATIONS OF LEUKOPLAKIA
The majority of the time, leukoplakia does not permanently harm the tissues in our mouths, but it does increase the risk of oral cancer because the patches themselves may develop into cancerous growths, oral cancers frequently develop near the patches, and the risk of oral cancer persists even after the patches have been removed.
PREVENTION OF LEUKOPLAKIA
Avoiding alcohol and all tobacco products is the best way to prevent leukoplakia because oral cancer is typically painless until it has spread to an advanced stage.
DIAGNOSIS OF LEUKOPLAKIA
- examining the mouth’s patches
- wiping the white patches as best as possible
- examining medical background and risk factors
- excluding any potential complications
Testing for cancer
Leukoplakia must be followed up with a test to check for early cancer signs.
- Using a tiny, spinning brush to remove cells from the surface of the lesion is a non-invasive procedure called an oral brush biopsy, but it does not always produce a conclusive diagnosis.
- An “excisional biopsy,” which is more thorough and typically yields a conclusive diagnosis, entails surgically removing tissue from the leukoplakia patch or, if it’s small, the entire patch.
HOMOEOPATHIC TREATMENT FOR LEUKOPLAKIA
Totality of the patient’s symptoms, including physical, mental, constitutional, aggravation, and amelioration, help paint a complete picture of the patient and allow for the selection of the most appropriate homeopathic medicine based on the totality of the symptoms.
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