Study of Exfoliative Cytology of Oral Mucosa of Children Exhibiting Clinical Evidence of Ectodermal Dysplasia

¹ School of Dentistry, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia

Exfoliative cytology was used to examine the oral mucosa of 10 children ranging in age from two to fifteen. Five of these children exhibited clinical evidence of ectodermal dysplasia; the other 5 were routine dental patients. Exfoliated cells were collected and stained, utilizing Papanicolaou's method, from 7 different areas in each oral cavity. Random cell counts of 100 cells were made on each slide, dividing the cells into three groups—red, blue, and yellow. Comparisons made between the normal and [see figure in the PDF file] ectodermal group revealed a statistically significant difference in the cheek region, the ectodermal dysplasia patients showing a decreased degree of keratinization of the oral mucosa of the cheek when compared with the normal group. Decreased function resulting from oligodontia in the posterior segment was proposed as the explanation for this finding.

The other six areas of the oral mucosa studied exhibited the same pattern with regard to degree of keratinization in both groups. The gingiva was found to be the most highly keratinized, followed by the hard palate, anterior tongue, posterior tongue, vestibule, and the soft palate.