PREVALENCE OF ORAL MUCOSAL LESIONS- GEOGRAPHIC TONGUE, RECURRENT APTHOUS STOMATITIS AND FISSURED TONGUE IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS.: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META- ANALYSIS

Abstract

Background: Oral mucosal lesions (OMLs) represent the third most common oral pathology after dental caries and periodontal disease, yet epidemiological data in pediatric populations remain limited and highly variable. This systematic review and meta-analysis directed to determine the pooled prevalence of three specific OMLs geographic tongue (GT), recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS), and fissured tongue (FT) in children and adolescents. Methodology: A systematic search of PubMed, Google Scholar, and EBSCO databases was conducted for cross-sectional studies published between January 2002 and December 2022 reporting prevalence of GT, RAS, and FT in pediatric populations.  The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale adapted for cross-sectional studies was used for assessment of risk of bias. Meta-analysis was performed using a random-effects model with Freeman-Tukey double-arcsine transformation. Results: Fifteen studies were comprised which met inclusion criteria. The pooled prevalence was 4% (95% CI: 2%-5%) for geographic tongue, 4% (95% CI: 3%-6%) for recurrent aphthous stomatitis, and 2% (95% CI: 0% 3%) for fissured tongue. Substantial heterogeneity was observed across studies (I² > 97%). GT was more prevalent in younger children (0-6 years), while fissured tongue increased with age. Recurrent aphthous stomatitis showed significant association with systemic diseases, particularly gastrointestinal disorders and anemia. Conclusion: This review established that geographic tongue, recurrent aphthous stomatitis, and fissured tongue are relatively common in pediatric populations, with prevalence patterns varying by age.