Manifestações orais da sífilis, a “grande imitadora”: uma revisão integrativa da literatura

Abstract

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacteria Treponema pallidum, which, when left untreated, can lead to neurological, cardiovascular and bone problems. At all stages of infection, syphilis can result in variable oral manifestations, which makes the disease known as “the great imitator”, which can be challenging for the dental surgeon. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the main characteristics of syphilis when it presents oral manifestations. An integrative review of the literature was carried out in the PubMed database, including reports and case series using the descriptors “syphilis” and “oral manifestation” in English from the last 10 years. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 19 articles were selected with 37 cases of syphilis with oral manifestations in all stages of infection. The most affected sites were the tongue, palate and lips, showing non-pathognomonic lesions such as ulcers, plaques and nodules, with a slight male predilection and being more consumed in the 3rd decade of life in primary and secondary syphilis and over 50 years in tertiary syphilis. . The evolution time of the lesion in the mouth varied from 1 week to 6 months and the treatment consisted mainly of the administration of long-acting intramuscular benzathine penicillin G, resulting in the disappearance of the oral lesions. The dental envelope can be a key part in establishing an early diagnosis and, consequently, can impact the prognosis of the disease, the patient's quality of life and the interruption of the syphilis transmission cycle.