Manifestations of HIV infection in the oral cavity

HIV infection of the oral cavity - pathological changes in the organs of the oral cavity, observed in patients infected with the immunodeficiency virus. They lead to the development of infectious and inflammatory, degenerative and oncological processes in the oral cavity: gingivitis, periodontitis, cheilitis, viral and fungal lesions, Kaposi's sarcoma, etc.

HIV diagnosis is carried out by laboratory methods and is aimed at detecting the virus itself in the blood, antibodies to it and assessing the state of the cellular link of the immune system. Effective treatment has not been developed to date, the basis of therapy is antiretroviral drugs.

From the moment of HIV infection to the appearance of the first clinical signs, it can take from 2 to 5 years, during which the patient does not make any complaints, but at the same time is potentially dangerous.

The alertness of the dental staff and the knowledge of the clinical picture of HIV in the oral cavity allows you to diagnose the disease at an early stage and refer the patient to specific treatment.

Patients with HIV are characterized by a constant change in the stages of remission and relapse, progressive deterioration of the condition, an increase in clinical symptoms and the gradual formation of a complete syndrome of irreversible secondary immunodeficiency with a fatal outcome.

In dentistry, clinical forms of HIV in the oral cavity are divided into 3 groups, based on the degree of suspected association with infection. The first group includes the pathological processes most closely associated with the immunodeficiency virus (candidiasis, hairy leukoplakia, HIV-gingivitis, ulcerative necrotic gingivitis, HIV-periodontitis, Kaposi's sarcoma, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma).

The second group consists of lesions that are less associated with HIV (atypical ulcers, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, salivary gland pathology, viral infections).

The extensive third group includes lesions that may be associated with HIV infection, but are not associated with it.

With the detection of the disease at an early stage and the timely start of therapy, the prognosis of treatment is relatively favorable. Comprehensive measures that slow down the reproduction of the virus allow you to maintain a normal immune response and resist opportunistic diseases.

Dentist-therapist
GAU " Lipetsk City Dental Polyclinic No. 1»
Natalia Volkova