Stomatitis

Inflammation of the oral mucosa, encompassing a heterogeneous group of inflammatory conditions of the mouth, which may involve the lips, gingiva, tongue, palate, and other oral structures. Possible causes are infection (herpes simplex virus, hand/foot/mouth disease, Candida albicans, gingivitis), autoimmune inflammation (lupus, Behçet's syndrome, celiac disease, Crohn's disease), allergic (food, toothpaste), traumatic (biting cheek, hot beverage, tobacco), xerostomia (dry mouth), medications (chemotherapy, radiotherapy), and nutritional deficiency (vitamin B12, folate, iron, zinc).