Oral granuloma gravidarum: a retrospective study of 41 cases in Southern Brazil

Granuloma gravidarum (GG) is an inflammatory lesion, which develops in the oral mucosa of pregnant women in response to chronic low-grade irritants, under the influence of hormonal factors. Objective To characterize GG clinically by means of a retrospective study of the cases of the Oral Medicine Division, São Lucas Hospital, Brazil. Material and Methods Cases of GG diagnosed between 1980 and 2012 were analyzed. Data were obtained referring to the age of the patients, lesion location, clinical features, as well as the presence of local irritants. The gestation period in which the lesion developed was also investigated. Results Forty-one cases of GG were found. The lesions developed predominantly in the third trimester of pregnancy (51.22%) and the mean age of the patients was 28 years. Most GG was found in the gingiva (73.17%), was reddish color and had a mean diameter of 1.5 cm. Local irritants were involved in 75.6% of the cases. Conclusions The hormonal conditions of pregnancy can have an impact on the oral cavity, predisposing the patient to inflammatory lesions such as GG.