Quantification of mast cells in oral reactive lesions - an immunohistochemical study.

Background: Reactive lesions (RLs) are the most common oral mucosal lesions that are benign in nature and are more likely to reoccur if the lesion or local irritants at the site are not completely removed. The histopathology is usually determined by the stage of the lesion, which includes neovascularization, inflammation, and fibrosis etc. Aim: To evaluate and compare mast cell counts in different reactive lesions with normal gingiva (NG) and to determine the correlation between mast cell count and inflammation, fibrosis, and angiogenesis using immunohistochemistry.