The painful mouth. Mucositis, gingivitis, and stomatitis

The oromucosal manifestations of infection and painful mouth have important implications for both medical and dental professionals. The immunocompromised patient presents a particular challenge because clinical signs and symptoms may be minimal, and prompt and appropriate treatment is critical to prevent life-threatening complications. Effective control of infection and oral symptoms are both important, and this can be achieved by judicious use of topical and systemic agents. Prevention of mucosal breakdown, suppression of microbial colonization, control of reactivating viral infections, and effective management of severe xerostomia are all critical steps to reduce the overall morbidity and mortality of oromucosal infections in the severely immunocompromised patient.