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Prevalence of benign oral ulcerations in the Indian population

Aim: Patients with an oral ulcer may present initially to a general physician or a dental practitioner. Majority of the ulcers are benign and resolve spontaneously, but small proportions are malignant. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of benign oral ulcerations in the Indian population. Materials and Methods: A total of 3,244 patients attending the Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology during the period from November 2010 to December 2012 with various complaints were examined. Of the patients examined, 1,669 were females and 1,575 were males. Results: A total of 1,444 patients had benign oral ulcers at the time of examination, giving an overall prevalence of 44.5%. Most of the patients presented with recurrent aphthous ulceration (47.4%). Females (57.9%) were more commonly affected than males (42.1%). Patients in the 3 rd and 4 th decade and those of lower socioeconomic status were commonly affected. However, there was no statistically significant difference (P > 0.05) between the oral ulceration and socioeconomic and marital status of the patients. Conclusion: The results of the present study indicate that benign oral ulceration is a common mucosal disorder in the Indian population. Majority of the ulcers require treatment of the underlying cause. The early and correct diagnosis of these lesions will lead to successful treatment and prevention of the lesions.