title: Prevalence and distribution of oral mucosal non-malignant lesions in the western Sicilian population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of oral mucosal non-malignant lesions in the Sicilian population. In addition, we evaluated the association between each oral lesion and its risk factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study analyzed a total of 2539 consecutive patients, attending the Department of Surgical, Oncological and Stomatological Disciplines of Palermo University, who were examined for the presence of various oral lesions during the period from January 2012 and February 2015.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The sample consisted of 1330 (52%) female and 1209 (48%) male. The age ranged from 13-86 years with a mean age of 47.16 years. Among these subjects 1495 (58%), presented one or more lesions. All subjects were Caucasian. The most common lesion diagnosed was coated/hairy tongue affecting 16.7% of the subjects, followed by: lingual varices (16.3%), secondary herpes lesions (8.1%), aphthous ulcers (7.9%), fordyce granules (7.2%), frictional keratosis (5%), candidosis (4.9%), fibroepithelial hyperplasia (4.6%), squamous papilloma (3.8%), traumatic ulcers (3.7%), leukoplakia (3.2%), fissured tongue (3.2%), hemangiomas (2.7%), morsicatio buccarum (2.5%), melanin pigmentation (2.5%), lichen planus (2.5%), leukoedema (2.1%), petechiae (1.1%), geographic tongue (1%), actinic cheilitis (0.8%), and erythroplakia (0.1%). Overall, the prevalence of oral mucosal non-malignant lesions was linked to age, gender, diseases, and risk habits.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The high prevalence necessitates adequate awareness of these lesions in the general population. The dental clinicians should also be knowledgeable about the etiopathogenesis, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of these lesions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical, Oncological and Stomatological Disciplines, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy - paolodifalco@tin.it.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tortorici
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Corrao
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Natoli
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Difalco
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003953:Diagnosis-Related Groups; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012802:Sicily / Q000453:epidemiology; D014060:Tongue Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult