Oral Manifestations of Systemic Diseases: A Literature Review for Dental and General Healthcare Practitioners

Abstract

Introduction: The mouth may be a source of information about systemic disease and a number of signs or symptoms may occur prior to any systemic signs or symptoms. It is important to recognise their oral signs for early diagnosis and good patient management.

Aim: The purpose of this literature review was to examine the relationship between systemic disease and oral disease and to highlight the importance of oral disease in order to pave the way for early diagnosis and to promote interprofessional care.

Methods: The review of the literature was performed as a narrative literature review with recent peer reviewed articles from 2022 to 2025. Articles were found on electronic databases, and analysed to assess the oral complications of different systemic diseases.

Findings: The review showed that there are several systemic diseases associated with considerable oral manifestations such as autoimmune, gastrointestinal, infectious and chronic inflammatory diseases. Commonly observed changes were oral ulcers, oral lesions, gingival changes, xerostomia and periodontal abnormalities. The literature also highlighted the importance of dentists to detect disease early, the relationship between oral and systemic disease and the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in patient care.

Conclusion: Oral manifestations may also be useful indicators of systemic disease, and can be significant in early diagnosis and treatment of patients. Awareness and advocacy of a multidisciplinary approach to care and of dental and medical providers are essential to maximizing the care that these patients can receive, and to optimize their health outcomes.