Various Benign and Pathological Lesions of Oral Cavity in Pediatric Patients

Oral soft tissue lesions in pediatric patients can be congenital or developmental. They can be asymptomatic and are observed during routine pediatrician or dentist examinations. Some of the lesions become symptomatic and present as an acute care visit. Initial examination and treatment of acute symptoms are done by a pediatrician, and a few of them may need referral to a dentist for definitive treatment such as removal of the lesion. Some lesions are more prevalent in patients of certain ethnicities, age groups, and sex of the patient. Treatment of oral lesions in pediatric patients differs as some lesions are self-limiting, regress spontaneously, and no treatment is needed. Lesions that recur and remain persistent need further investigation, such as a biopsy, followed by cytopathology and culture sensitivity tests. Oral lesions are usually limited to the oral cavity, but bigger lesions may spread locally and out of the oral cavity, involving lymph nodes. Soft tissue lesions can be of bacterial, viral, fungal, or unknown etiology. Identifying and treating these lesions may prevent the risk of systemic involvement and immunological responses. This article provides an overview of different benign and pathological oral conditions in pediatric patients, as well as their diagnoses and management. It highlights the importance of differentiating benign and complicated conditions to guide the specific treatments.