title: [Epidemiology of oral diseases in a university hospital specialized consultation].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Oral diseases (OD) are common and affect, according to studies, 2.5 to 61.6% of general population. The main objective of our study was to determine the most common diagnoses of OD in a dedicated consultation in a University Hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a descriptive observational study over 12 months from weekly OD consultations provided within the oral and maxillofacial surgery department at the Timone university hospital, Marseille, France. We divided our patient population into 4 subgroups: subgroup A, in which each patient was considered as a new one for each consultation; subgroup B, in which each patient was only considered once; subgroup C, including patients seen three times at least and subgroup D, including the children. At each consultation, were identified: age, sex, alcohol and tobacco consumption, corresponding physician specialty, time between onset of symptoms and consultation, reason for consultation and final diagnosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Subgroups A, B, C and D respectively included 393, 208, 23 and 11 cases. Age and sex were similar in the subgroups A, B and C (mean age: 53.6, 54.3 and 51.4 years, respectively; female predominance: 62.9%, 66.8% and 65.2%, respectively). The most commonly encountered diagnoses were similar in the subgroups A and B: oral lichen planus (19.6% and 19.2%), aphthous stomatitis (11.5 and 7.2%), burning mouth syndrome (11.5 and 14.9%). In subgroup C, were found: oral lichen planus (34.8%), aphthous stomatitis (21.7%), cicatricial pemphigoid (13%) and pemphigus (13%). In the subgroup D, the most common diagnoses were aphthous stomatitis (45.5%) and traumatic injury (18.2%). The mean time before diagnosis was about 2 years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The most common diagnoses in a specialized OD consultation are: lichen planus, aphthous stomatitis and burning mouth syndrome. The time before diagnosis could be improved by means of more information for practitioners and patients.
authors.affiliation: Service de chirurgie maxillo-faciale et de stomatologie, hôpital de la Timone, 264, rue Saint-Pierre, 13385 Marseille, France; Service d'odontologie, hôpital de la Timone, 13385 Marseille, France. Electronic address: eugeniemassereau@hotmail.fr.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Massereau
authors.affiliation: Service de chirurgie maxillo-faciale et de stomatologie, hôpital de la Timone, 264, rue Saint-Pierre, 13385 Marseille, France; Service de dermatologie, hôpital de la Timone, 13385 Marseille, France.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Laurans
authors.affiliation: Service de chirurgie maxillo-faciale et de stomatologie, hôpital Nord, chemin des Bourrely, 13015 Marseille, France.
authors.forename: J-M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Foletti
authors.affiliation: Service de chirurgie maxillo-faciale et de stomatologie, hôpital de la Timone, 264, rue Saint-Pierre, 13385 Marseille, France.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gallucci
authors.affiliation: Service de chirurgie maxillo-faciale et de stomatologie, hôpital de la Timone, 264, rue Saint-Pierre, 13385 Marseille, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chossegros
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006782:Hospitals, Special / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006785:Hospitals, University / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
keywords: Aphthous stomatitis; Aphtose; Burning mouth syndrome; Epidemiology; Glossodynie; Lichen; Lichen plan; Oral diseases; Pathologies de la muqueuse buccale; Épidémiologie