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Noma Cancrum Oris

Noma cancrum oris, otherwise known as oro-facial gangrene, is an infectious disease that affects the oral structures. It destroys both soft and hard tissues, leaving a gangrenous lesion in its wake. The majority of individuals affected are children between two and sixteen years old, and the disease most often appears in sub-Saharan Africa. There are a number of risk factors for noma cancrum oris including poor oral hygiene, other infectious diseases, malnutrition, and poverty. Because malnutrition and infections both impair the immune system, patients are left more susceptible to oro-facial gangrene. The disease progresses through three stages. The acute phase is when the disease first sets in. The gangrenous phase occurs when the tissues have been destroyed, leaving behind a lesion. The scarring phase occurs when the gangrene heals and leaves behind thick, visible scarring.