[Oral care recommendations for patients with oral autoimmune bullous diseases]

Abstract

Background: Autoimmune bullous diseases (AIBD) may cause chronic oral lesions that progress insidiously.

Aims: To provide recommendations for optimal oral-dental management of patients presenting AIBD with oral involvement.

Patients and methods: In the absence of scientific studies with high levels of proof, these recommendations have been drawn up at two meetings by a committee of experts on AIBD comprising 7 dermatologists, 1 stomatologist, 1 maxillofacial surgeon, 2 odontologists and 4 parodontologists.

Results: The oral lesions associated with AIBD may be classified into three grades of severity: severe (generalised erosive gingivitis affecting at least 30% of dental sites), moderate (localised erosive gingivitis affecting less than 30% of dental sites) and controlled (no erosive oral lesions). Good oral-dental hygiene suited to the severity of the oral lesions, must be practised continually by these patients so as to avoid the formation of dental plaque, which aggravates symptoms. Dental and parodontal care must be considered in accordance with the severity grade of the oral lesions: in severe cases, the dental plaque must be eliminated manually with a curette, but several types of care (descaling, treatment for tooth decay, non-urgent extractions, etc.) must be suspended until the grade of severity is moderate or until the disease is stabilised.

Keywords: Autoimmune bullous diseases; Dental and parodontal care; Hygiène buccodentaire; Lésions buccales; Maladies bulleuses auto-immunes; Oral lesions; Oral-dental hygiene; Soins dentaires et parodontaux.