[Haematological investigation of patients attending an oral medicine clinic in the Dental Faculty, University of Iceland, 1987-1988].

The present communication reports preliminary findings of haematological investigations carried out on patients attending an oral medicine clinic in the University of Iceland over a two year period. Patients have been referred to this newly-established clinic with candidosis, aphtous ulceration, sore tongues, burning mouth syndrome and other miscellaneous conditions. Many were investigated for underlying causes for their oral disorder. A high proportion of patients (33/45: 73%) referred for haematological investigation had abnormal findings largely related to a deficiency of iron (21/45: 47%). Most of these reported improvement in their oral discomfort after a course of iron tablets. Only two patients had abnormally reduced erythrocyte counts but a further 19 (42%) were found to have sideropaenia. Diabetes was diagnosed in two patients and one previously unknown case of megaloblastic anaemia was also discovered. The results were sufficiently encouraging to warrant continuing the clinic and collection of further data.