Oral manifestations of connective tissue disease.

It is possible to diagnose connective tissue disease by examining the patient's mouth when oral lesions are an integral part of the disease complex, as in Sjogren's or Behcet's syndrome. Oral lesions also may lead to suspicion of systemic lupus erythematosus, Reiter's syndrome, scleroderma, rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis, as these disorders often have significant oral manifestations. In other connective tissue disorders, oral changes tend to be variable or secondary to therapy.