Noma

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Mouth sores

Overview

Symptoms

Treatment

Prevention

Noma

Alternative Names:

Cancrum oris; Gangrenous stomatitis

Treatment:

Noma can be fatal if left untreated or heal over time even without treatment. However, it can cause massive tissue destruction before healing. Treatment with antibiotics and nutritional support halts progression of the disease. Plastic surgery may be necessary to debride destroyed tissues and reconstruct facial bones. This will improve facial appearance, mouth, and jaw function.

Expectations (prognosis):

The skin lesions eventually heal even without treatment, but severe scarring and deformity can develop.

Complications:

disfigurement
discomfort

Calling your health care provider:

Mouth sores and inflammation occur and persist or worsen (or other signs of noma develop). Children who live in underdeveloped countries or areas of less than optimal sanitation, and those who are malnourished, are at greater risk for this disorder.

Review Date: 8/23/2005
Reviewed By: John Goldenring, MD, MPH, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital, San Diego, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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