Oral Neoplasia, Masses & the Risk of Pyogenic Granuloma

Oral health care is important to your overall physical health. For many individuals, the presence of disease and illness often creates complications of oral health. For this reason, it is important to seek regular dental examinations to not only maintain the health and integrity of your teeth and gums, but to maintain the health of your entire mouth.

For some individuals, the complications of oral health involve the development of neoplasia or masses. For example, the development of tori, a non-malignant, bony protusion, is quite common among adults and can occur in nearly 30 percent of the population. While there is fear, initially, the growth may be indicative of an oral malignancy, the presence of a torus should be examined by a dental professional. When found to be asymptomatic and confirmed as benign, generally no treatment options are made.

In addition to tori, many adults also develop oral health complications involving the development of pyogenic granuloma. While also not considered to be a malignancy, the pyogenic granuloma is a complication that is indicative of a greater health issue. Health complications that can give rise to pyogenic granuloma include pregnancy, hormonal changes, very poor hygiene or it may be attributed to poor dental work in which fillings or caps may be disturbing the oral flora and tissue.

Also in response to trauma or infection is the risk for developing an oral hygiene complication known as fibroma. While quite rare, occurring in only one percent of the adult population, oral fibroma are usually not painful but can affect swallowing and chewing, often requiring surgical removal.