The main cause of leukoplakia is not fully known but long term irritation from smoking and dipping tobacco is said to be the main cause of leukoplakia.
Regular users of chewing tobacco often get leukoplakia in places where the chewing tobacco was held between their cheeks and gums.
Leukoplakia is a condition which causes white patches on the tongue, gums or the inside of the cheeks.
The white patches caused by leukoplakia are not painful but they don't go away.
And while leukoplakia may look or appear harmless, leukoplakia can become oral cancer so you should talk to your dentist or doctor if you notice any white patches in your mouth.
A virus that can also cause leukoplakia is the Epstein Barr virus or EBV.
Hairy leukoplakia (HL) was first described in 1984 and is a disease of the mucosa.
The hair leukoplakia condition is associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), also known as human herpesvirus 4.
And it also occurs most commonly in people infected with HIV, although it can also be seen in people who do not have HIV.
Factors most frequently blamed for the development of idiopathic leukoplakia include tobacco use, alcohol consumption, chronic irritation, candidiasis, vitamin deficiency, endocrine disturbances, and possibly a virus.
A type of leukoplakia of the mouth, called oral hairy leukoplakia, is caused by the Epstein-Barr virus.
It is seen mostly in people with HIV/AIDS.
It may be one of the first signs of HIV infection.
You can get leukoplakia even without smoking or chewing tobacco.
You can develop leukoplakia if something irritates tissue lining the inside of your mouth.
For example, you may chew the inside of your cheeks or use dentures that don't fit well.
Leukoplakia may also happen when certain genes mutate, or change.
Hairy leukoplakia creates fuzzy, white patches that can be mistaken for oral thrush
Oral bacteria may play a role in the early stages of oral carcinogenesis as a dysbiotic bacteriome is associated with oral leukoplakia and this resembles that of oral cancer more than healthy controls.
Most of the time, leukoplakias are painless, but it's important for clinicians to identify the source of the condition, as some leukoplakias indicate more serious problems, like autoimmune disorders, and can even develop into oral cancer.