| oral contraceptive | Any orally effective preparation designed to prevent conception. (05 Mar 2000) |
|---|---|
| oral epithelial nevus | An autosomal dominant condition of the oral cavity characterised by soft, white or opalescent, thickened and corrugated folds of mucous membrane; other mucosal sites are occasionally involved simultaneously. Synonym: familial white folded dysplasia, oral epithelial nevus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| oral (erosive) lichen planus | Oral manifestations of lichen planus characterised by white striae (Wickham's striae) of the oral mucous membrane and sometimes associated with ulceration; patients may or may not exhibit a history of cutaneous lichen planus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| oral fissure | The mouth slit; the aperture of the mouth. Synonym: oral fissure. (05 Mar 2000) |
| oral fistula | An abnormal passage within the mouth communicating between two or more anatomical structures. (12 Dec 1998) |
| oral focal mucinosis | An area of myxomatous connective tissue; the mucosal counterpart of cutaneous focal mucinosis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| oral haemorrhage | Bleeding from the blood vessels of the mouth, which may occur as a result of injuries to the mouth, accidents in oral surgery, or diseases of the gums; the term should not be used for the escape of blood from the mouth due to internal injuries. (12 Dec 1998) |
| oral hairy leukoplakia | A whitish lesion that appears on the side of the tongue and inside cheeks. The lesion appears raised, with a ribbed or hairy surface. Oral hairy leukoplakia occurs mainly in people with declining immunity and may be caused by Epstein-Barr virus infection. (11 Jan 1998) |
| oral health | The optimal state of the mouth and normal functioning of the organs of the mouth without evidence of disease. (12 Dec 1998) |
| oral hygiene | The practice of personal hygiene of the mouth. It includes the maintenance of oral cleanliness, tissue tone, and general preservation of oral health. (12 Dec 1998) |
| oral hygiene index | A combination of the debris index and the dental calculus index to determine the status of oral hygiene. (12 Dec 1998) |
| oral lactose tolerance test | A test for lactose deficiency; the plasma glucose response to an oral lactose load is measured as in the (oral) glucose tolerance test. (05 Mar 2000) |
| oral manifestations | Disorders of the mouth attendant upon non-oral disease or injury. (12 Dec 1998) |
| oral medicine | A branch of dentistry dealing with diseases of the oral and paraoral structures and the oral management of systemic diseases. (hall, what is oral medicine, anyway? clinical update: national naval dental centre, march 1991, p7-8) (12 Dec 1998) |
| oral membrane | A bilaminar (ectoderm and endoderm) membrane derived from the prochordal plate; after the embryonic head fold has evolved it lies at the caudal limit of the stomodeum. Synonym: oral membrane, oropharyngeal membrane. (05 Mar 2000) |