Thermal burn of palate in an elderly diabetic patient.

Background Burns of the oral mucosa may be caused by thermal, mechanical, chemical, electrical or radiation injury. Clinically, these burns can produce localised or diffuse areas of tissue damage depending on the severity and extent of the insult. Most oral thermal burns produce erosions or ulcers on the palate or tongue. Materials and methods A case of palatal burn in a 66-year-old diabetic patient caused by drinking hot cereal is presented. The role of diabetes in causing oral mucosal dysesthesia that predisposed the occurrence of this burn is also discussed. Conclusion Insensate palatal burn as a rare complication of diabetes mellitus is reported here. With the disease being more widespread now, its potential oral complications will be seen with increasing frequency.