Assessment
Questionnaire
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a doctor would ask.
See what questions
a doctor would ask.
During a consultation, your doctor will use various techniques to assess the symptom: Mouth white patches. These will include a physical examination and possibly diagnostic tests. (Note: A physical exam is always done, diagnostic tests may or may not be performed depending on the suspected condition) Your doctor will ask several questions when assessing your condition. It is important to openly share any pertinent information to help your doctor make an accurate diagnosis.
It is also very important to bring an up-to-date list of all of your all medical conditions, medications including dosages, and names of numbers of any specialist you see.
Create your printable checklist by answering questions that your doctor may ask below:
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Why: to determine if acute or chronic.
Why: e.g. lips, gums, tongue, lining of the mouth, tonsils.
Why: when did you last see a dentist?, dental care routine? Known dental caries? - Poor oral hygiene may be associated with leukoplakia (pre-cancer), oral cancer and oral Candida infection which may all cause mouth white patches.
Why: Poorly fitting dentures may cause white, raised folds of tissue in the mouth.
Why: e.g. cigarette smoking, poor dental hygiene, spirits, recurrent mouth infections or syphilis.
Why: e.g. May be associated with poor oral hygiene, alcoholism, AIDS, leukemia, lymphoma, diabetes mellitus, iron deficiency, steroids, tumor chemotherapy or broad spectrum antibiotics.
Why: e.g. oral Candida infection (thrush) may be associated with AIDS, leukemia, lymphoma, diabetes mellitus and iron deficiency; Chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis is a distinct syndrome that may be associated with diseases such as hypoparathyroidism, hypothyroidism and Addison's disease.
Why: some medications increase the risk of oral Candida infection including steroids (including inhaled steroids), broad spectrum antibiotics and tumor chemotherapy; some medications may induce a lichen planus like eruption including ACE inhibitors, gold, streptomycin, tetracycline, quinine, penicillamine, hydrochlorothiazide and chlorpropamide.
Why: increases risk of lip and oral cavity cancers.
Why: may indicate the risk of HIV which may be associated with angular cheilitis due to Candida infection.
Why: e.g. creamy white curd-like patches in the mouth which are removed only with difficulty and leave a bleeding surface. If the infection spreads to the esophagus it may cause pain with swallowing.
Why: e.g. frequent urination, excessive thirst, weight loss, fatigue - can cause recurrent mouth infections especially Candida (thrush).
Why: e.g. dry eyes, dryness of the mouth, skin or vagina. Dry mouth can predispose to recurrent mouth infections including oral candidiasis. This syndrome may be associated with many systemic conditions such as Raynaud's phenomenon, difficulty in swallowing (as seen in systemic sclerosis), painful joints (like that seen with systemic lupus erythematosus), thyroid disease, myasthenia gravis, primary biliary cirrhosis, chronic active hepatitis, renal diabetes insipidus, renal tubular acidosis and vasculitis.
Why: a distinct syndrome usually occurring in children comprising of recurrent or persistent oral thrush, finger or toe bed infection and skin infection.
Why: e.g. raised flat topped purple colored shiny itchy patches on the skin and milky white raised patches in the mouth. Mouth lesions may be painful if ulcers are present. Mouth lesions may occur on the lining of the mouth, lips, tongue or gums.
Why: e.g. fever, malaise, red watery eyes, runny nose, blotchy bright red rash, cough, Koplik's spots ( bluish white spots on a red base opposite the premolars inside the mouth).
Why: e.g. fever, sore throat, difficulty with swallowing due to pain, malaise, white pus spots on tonsils, enlarged neck lymph nodes.
The following list of conditions have 'Mouth white patches' or similar listed as a symptom in our database. This computer-generated list may be inaccurate or incomplete. Always seek prompt professional medical advice about the cause of any symptom.
Select from the following alphabetical view of conditions which include a symptom of Mouth white patches or choose View All.
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Copyright © 2011 Health Grades Inc. All rights reserved. Last Update: 1 February, 2012 (3:54)
