Traumatic Ulcers Follow-up

  • Author: Glen Houston, DDS, MSD; Chief Editor: William D James, MD   more...
 
Updated: Jan 18, 2012
 

Deterrence/Prevention

  • The best treatment for chemical injuries is preventing the exposure to caustic materials.
  • Traumatic ulcers can be prevented by correction of the etiology, for example, by restoring carious, fractured, or malpositioned teeth.
  • Traumatic ulcers can also be prevented by replacing ill-fitting maxillary and mandibular dentures to minimize irritation of the oral mucosa.
  • Parents can prevent their children from having access to electrical cords and wires and thereby minimize the potential for electrical and thermal injuries.
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Complications

  • In severe ulcers, secondary infection, scarring, contracture, and disfigurement are potential problems.[15]
  • Severe ulcers may remain for longer than 10-14 days.
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Patient Education

  • Instruct parents about how to childproof their homes to prevent electrical burns.
  • Remind patients to be careful when eating hot foods.
  • Inform patients that many over-the-counter medications for mouth pain can compound the traumatic injury.
    • Mucosal damage from many topical medications sold as treatments for mouth sores or toothaches has been reported.
    • Products containing eugenol, phenol, or hydrogen peroxide have produced adverse reactions.
    • In addition, aspirin can cause mucosal necrosis if it is held in the mouth.
    • Silver nitrate remains a popular treatment for aphthous ulcerations (canker sores), but its use should be discouraged because of the extent of mucosal damage that may result.
  • For excellent patient education resources, visit eMedicine's Teeth and Mouth Center and Burns Center. Also, see eMedicine's patient education articles Canker Sores and Thermal (Heat or Fire) Burns.
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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Glen Houston, DDS, MSD  Chair, Professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center

Glen Houston, DDS, MSD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, American Academy of Oral Medicine, and American Dental Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Daniel Mark Siegel, MD, MS  Director, Procedural Dermatology Fellowship Program, Clinical Professor of Dermatology, Department of Dermatology, State University of New York Downstate

Daniel Mark Siegel, MD, MS is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, American College of Mohs Micrographic Surgery and Cutaneous Oncology, American College of Physician Executives, American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, American Society for MOHS Surgery, and International Society for Dermatologic Surgery

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Michael J Wells, MD  Associate Professor, Department of Dermatology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Paul L Foster School of Medicine

Michael J Wells, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Dermatology, American Medical Association, and Texas Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Drore Eisen, MD, DDS  Consulting Staff, Department of Dermatology, Dermatology Research Associates of Cincinnati

Drore Eisen, MD, DDS is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, American Academy of Oral Medicine, and American Dental Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Glen H Crawford, MD  Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine; Chief, Division of Dermatology, The Pennsylvania Hospital

Glen H Crawford, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Dermatology, American Medical Association, Phi Beta Kappa, and Society of USAF Flight Surgeons

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

William D James, MD  Paul R Gross Professor of Dermatology, Vice-Chairman, Residency Program Director, Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine

William D James, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology and Society for Investigative Dermatology

Disclosure: Elsevier Royalty Other

References

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  3. Baroni A, Capristo C, Rossiello L, Faccenda F, Satriano RA. Lingual traumatic ulceration (Riga-Fede disease). Int J Dermatol. Sep 2006;45(9):1096-7. [Medline].

  4. Ceyhan AM, Yildirim M, Basak PY, Akkaya VB, Ayata A. Traumatic lingual ulcer in a child: Riga-Fede disease. Clin Exp Dermatol. Mar 2009;34(2):186-8. [Medline].

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  10. Rawal SY, Claman LJ, Kalmar JR, Tatakis DN. Traumatic lesions of the gingiva: a case series. J Periodontol. May 2004;75(5):762-9. [Medline].

  11. Ozcelik O, Haytac MC, Akkaya M. Iatrogenic trauma to oral tissues. J Periodontol. Oct 2005;76(10):1793-7. [Medline].

  12. Hirshberg A, Amariglio N, Akrish S, et al. Traumatic ulcerative granuloma with stromal eosinophilia: a reactive lesion of the oral mucosa. Am J Clin Pathol. Oct 2006;126(4):522-9. [Medline].

  13. Ganesh R, Suresh N, Ezhilarasi S, Rajajee S, Sathiyasekaran M. Crohn's disease presenting as palatal ulcer. Indian J Pediatr. Mar 2006;73(3):229-31. [Medline].

  14. Edlich RF, Farinholt HM, Winters KL, Britt LD, Long WB 3rd. Modern concepts of treatment and prevention of electrical burns. J Long Term Eff Med Implants. 2005;15(5):511-32. [Medline].

  15. Hashem FK, Al Khayal Z. Oral burn contractures in children. Ann Plast Surg. Nov 2003;51(5):468-71. [Medline].

  16. Hitchings A, Murray A. Traumatic ulceration mimicking oral squamous cell carcinoma recurrence in an insensate flap. Ear Nose Throat J. Mar 2004;83(3):192, 194. [Medline].

  17. Gallego L, Junquera L, Llorente S. Oral carcinoma associated with implant-supported overdenture trauma: a case report. Dent Traumatol. Feb 2009;25(1):e3-4. [Medline].

 
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