Aphthous ulcers associated with Behcets disease
Aphthous-like stomatitis is the initial manifestation in 25% to 75% of patients with Behçet’s disease.
Stomatitis may be less common in cigarette smokers. Preferential sites of ulceration are the mucous membranes of the lips, gingiva, cheeks (buccal mucosa), and tongue. The palate, tonsils, and pharynx are rarely involved (unlike reactive arthritis or Stevens–Johnson syndrome), and the outer portions of the lips are not involved (unlike herpetic lesions). Most oral ulcers are painful, occur in crops (3 to >10 lesions), are <1 cm in diameter, heal without scarring within 1 to 3 weeks, and are recurrent. Major ulcers (>1 cm) may scar.
