Oral manifestations of HIV infection, Part I

Several signs of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, such as candidiasis, hairy leukoplakia, and Kaposi's sarcoma, may first appear in the mouth. The dentist is in a unique position to detect the oral manifestations of HIV infection. The purpose of this review article is to provide the dentist with baseline knowledge concerning the oral manifestations of HIV infection, to help the dentist identify such lesions, and to contribute to the early diagnosis and timely treatment of HIV-positive individuals.