Oral Cavity Involvement in Mucormycosis: A Systematic Review

Mucormycosis is a rare but life-threatening fungal infection. While rhinocerebral forms are well-documented, oral cavity involvement remains underreported and misdiagnosed, despite its potential for rapid progression and serious complications.

This systematic review aimed to evaluate and synthesize available evidence on the clinical presentation, anatomical patterns, diagnostic methods, outcomes, and management strategies associated with oral cavity involvement in mucormycosis.

Literature search was conducted across PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, and Google Scholar up to 2025. Eligible human studies were included. Data were extracted and narratively synthesized. Quality assessment was conducted using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, and risk of bias was evaluated with the ROBINS-I tool with 7 included studies.

Seven studies comprising 451 cases were analyzed. Most patients were middle-aged males with diabetes and a recent post-COVID-19 status. Common clinical features included palatal ulcers, eschar, tooth mobility, and necrotic lesions. Diagnosis relied on potassium hydroxide mount, histopathology, and imaging. Amphotericin B was the mainstay of antifungal therapy, often combined with surgical debridement or maxillectomy. Mortality varied widely across studies, with better outcomes linked to early diagnosis and combined treatment.

Oral Mucormycosis is a critical yet often underrecognized condition. Timely identification in high-risk patients is essential to prevent progression.