Comparison between the clinical and pathological diagnosis of white patches in oral cavity among patients attending teaching clinics

Background. Oral white lesions may arise from a thicker keratin coating or the buildup of non-keratinized substances. Thus, when a physician encounters a white spot on the oral mucosa, the initial concern is to determine if it can be removed by using a piece of gauze or not. The objective was to analyze the agreement between the clinical and pathological diagnosis of white lesions in the oral cavity. Methods. A total of 22 clinical reports of patients with oral white lesions were diagnosed both clinically and histopathologically. The clinical and histological diagnoses were then compared. This study was done in the Department of Oral Diagnosis in our College of Dentistry, University of Basrah, Iraq, from October 2014 to April 2022. Results. Among 22 cases, 11(50%) were males and 11(50%) were female with an average age of 34-69 years. Buccal mucosa was involved in the major part of cases (30.6%) floor of mouth (5.6%), dorsum of the tongue (8.3%), lateral part of the tongue (2.8%). Conclusions. The results of this study suggest that there is a low level of agreement between the clinical and histological diagnoses. Therefore, enhancing diagnostic abilities is crucial for enhancing therapy results.