Leukoplakia of oral mucosa, including tongue

This code represents the presence of white patches or plaques on the oral mucous membranes, including the tongue, that cannot be scraped off and are not attributable to any other definable disease. These lesions are often precancerous and require careful monitoring.

Use this code when documentation specifies "leukoplakia of oral mucosa" or "leukoplakia of tongue" without further specification of the type. This diagnosis is typically made after clinical examination and often confirmed by biopsy to rule out malignancy.

• Ensure the documentation explicitly states "leukoplakia" and specifies an oral site (mucosa or tongue).
• Be mindful of the Excludes1 notes; do not code this with hairy leukoplakia or leukokeratosis nicotina palati.
• If a biopsy reveals dysplasia or malignancy, code the more specific finding.