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The term “Oro - facial pigmentation” refers to a wide range of lesions or conditions featuring a change of color of O ro - facial tissues. Pigmentation of the Oro facial tissues is seen in certain races or ethnic groups such as Indians, Africans and E uropeans. Broadly classifying, O ro - facial pigmentation is divided into endogenous pigmentation and exogenous pigmentation. Endogenous pigmentation is due to pigments pr oduced within the body. Exogenous pigmentation occurs when foreign bodies get impregnated into the oral mucosa and appear as localized area of altered pigmentation. Drug constitutes an important endogenous cause of O ro - facial pigmentation. Hereby, we are p resenting an overview of various dru gs in the etio - pathogenesis of O ro - facial pigmentation.

According to Sir William Osler, Mouth is the mirror of the body which reflects systemic diseases. The oral mucosa may be affected by a variety of muco cutaneous diseases and oral les ions may occur first or very early in several muco - cutaneous disorders. Pemphigus is a group of potentially life threatening, chronic auto immune disorder characterized by epithelial blistering affecting muco - cutaneous surfaces. Autoantibodies in pemphigus vulgaris are directed against desmoglein in epithelial desmosomes, and the immune deposits result in intra - epithelial splitting (acantholysis). Oral lesions in the form of blisters and erosions are the first to manifest, and diagnosis is made by positive nikolsky’s sign, coupled with characterstic histopathology and immunofluorescent features. Corticosteroids form the mainline of treatment, but adjuvant and newer therapies are also been used at an increasing rates. This article deals about the etio pathoge nesis, clinical characterstics, diagnosis and treatment strategies for pemphigus vulgaris.

Herpes zoster or shingles is a recurrence of varicella zoster virus that entered the cutaneous nerve endings during an earlier episode of chicken pox, travelled to the dorsal root ganglia, and remained in a latent form. Nerves most commonly involved are C3, T5, L1, L2 and first division of trigeminal nerve. The condition is characterized by occurrence of multiple, painful, unilateral vesicles and ulceration which shows a typical single dermatome involvement. The infection usually affects elderly individuals, and if present in the younger age group, a suspicion should be raised about the immune-compromised status such as HIV. Many patients report to the dental clinic with the complications of herpes zoster, with trigeminal nerve involved in about 15% cases and most commonly the ophthalmic division. Diagnosing these complications of herpes zoster could pose a challenge to an oral physician due to their varied presentation ranging from post herpetic neuralgia, external root resorption, osteonecrosis and tooth exfoliation. This paper reports a case of herpes zoster with unilateral vesicles over the left side of upper and middle 1/3rd of face along the trigeminal nerve tract, with intraoral involvement of buccal mucosa and palate on the same side.

Oral cavity functions as an early indicator for a variety of systemic diseases. Early and accurate diagnosis of these underlying systemic disorders entails thorough examination of the oral mucosa, gingiva, teeth, tongue and other oral tissues. Although gingival changes may be related to local factors in the oral cavity, it can also be an expression of systemic conditions such as blood dyscrasias, endocrinal imbalance, and nutritional deficiencies. Leukemia, a malignancy of white blood cells is a dreadful disease, which, if not diagnosed properly and treated early may result in significant morbidity and mortality. Oral changes may be the first and only presenting signs in leukemic patients. This paper aims to throw light on an interesting case of acute leukemia diagnosed on the basis of oral signs and emphasizes the importance of thorough oral examination to identify the threatening condition.