Prevalence of Oral Mucosal Lesions in Finnish Adults—Findings From the Healthy Finland Survey

ABSTRACT Objectives Oral mucosal lesions (OMLs) are abnormal findings of the oral mucosa. OMLs can be a localized disease due to trauma or infections, a manifestation of systemic or dermatological disease, or a sign of neoplasia. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of OMLs among Finnish adults. Methods Dentist‐nurse teams performed clinical oral health examinations among a nationally representative sample of Finnish adults. Sociodemographic characteristics recorded included age and sex. Results 1798 participants (48.1% men, mean age 50.9 years, range 20–91 years) were clinically examined (51.6% participation rate) in 2023. The prevalence estimate of OMLs in the Finnish population was 33.2% (95% CI: 26.8, 40.3) and 6.1% (95% CI: 2.8, 9.4) had more than one OML. The most common finding was an unspecific benign ulcer. The prevalence estimate of oral cancer suspect lesions was 0.2% (95% CI: 0.04, 0.4), red lesions 0.5% (95% CI: 0.2, 1.3) and white lesions 5.7% (95% CI: 4.5, 7.2). There was a higher prevalence of oral cancer suspect or white/red lesions in men than women (age‐adjusted OR 2.8 (95% CI: 1.7, 4.9)). Benign single lesions were more common in the older population. Conclusions One‐third of the Finnish adult population presented with at least one OML. Since neoplasia needs to be ruled out with every OML, this underlines the importance of investigating oral mucosa as a part of every oral/dental examination.