title: Oral mucosal malignancy and potentially malignant lesions: an update on the epidemiology, risk factors, diagnosis and management.
abstract: An oral examination for the assessment for malignant and potentially malignant oral mucosal lesions is routine in general dental practice. It may be uncommon for general dental practitioners to encounter oral cancer, with anecdotal reports suggesting that this occurs about once every 10 years in a busy general dental practice. However, potentially malignant oral mucosal lesions are relatively common, occurring in about 2.5% of the population. This update highlights the epidemiology, risk factors, diagnosis and management of these oral mucosal lesions.
authors.affiliation: Melbourne Dental School, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne. m.mccullough@unimelb.edu.au
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: McCullough
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Prasad
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Farah
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D000431:Ethanol / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol