An analysis of biopsy-proven tongue lesions among 8,105 dental outpatients.

AIM The aim of the present study was to analyze data on the characteristics of tongue lesions in dental patients seeking care at the Oral Pathology Service of Tehran University of Medical Sciences, from 1985-2010. MATERIALS AND METHODS Demographic data and histopathologic diagnoses were recorded for all lesions that were documented as occurring on the tongue according to the patient records in our department. Statistical analysis included chi-square, t-, and Fisher's exact tests. A 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated, and p < 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS Tongue lesions constituted 6.3% of all received specimens which included 46 different defects. The most common lesions were lichen planus (LP), irritation fibroma (IF), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and pemphigus vulgaris (PV). Tongue lesions were significantly more common in women compared to men (CI = 0.65-0.94, p = 0.02). Mean age (47 years) did not differ between male and female subjects (CI = -2.49 - 3.93, p = 0.06). The dorsal surface followed by the lateral aspect was the most common site for tongue lesions. CONCLUSION It seems that dental practitioners should be perceptive of LP, IF, SCC and PV, when examining the tongue. Histopathologic analysis is essential for achieving final diagnosis in a considerable number of lesions that commonly occur on this organ. Clinical significance: Access to demographic/prevalence data in different populations may be useful in clinical settings and could be complimented by histopathologic diagnosis in most instances. The present findings can be compared with those obtained from other epidemiologic studies in this field resulting in valuable data which may be used in several types of investigations. .