Oral findings in HIV-infected patients attending a department of internal medicine: the contribution of intraoral examination towards the clinical management of HIV disease.

The occurrence of oral mucosal lesions was studied in 70 consecutive human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients, including 35 patients with AIDS, who had been admitted to a Department of Internal Medicine. Lesions of the oral mucosa were observed in 52 patients (74 per cent). Oral candidiasis (50 per cent), hairy leukoplakia (14 per cent), periodontal disease (13 per cent), and oral Kaposi's sarcoma (4 per cent) were the most common lesions. Oral mucosal lesions suggestive of HIV infection were present in ten of 12 patients of unknown HIV status in whom Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia was suspected. Close cooperation between the medical and dental professions is recommended since accurate intraoral examination can make a valuable contribution towards the clinical management of HIV-infected patients and may influence the CDC classification of this disease.