The most common form of Crohn’s, which affects about 50% of patients, is called ileocolitis and does affect the last section of the small intestine (the ileum) and the large intestine. The second most common form, ileitis, affects about 30% of patients and affects the ileum. The classifications are mostly for the benefit of a treatment plan, and the type of Crohn’s disease a patient has can change if other parts of the intestine become affected.
People with Crohn’s disease may also experience other various problems in the mouth, such as inflammation in the lips or on the tongue. Sometimes problems in the mouth could be due to vitamin deficiencies, which are common in people with IBD. If there is a lot of vomiting, the enamel of the teeth could wear down, causing dental problems. People with IBD also tend to need more dental work in general and may be prone to infection in the gums.
Abscesses may lead to the development of a fistula, which is an abnormal connection between two organs or between the interior of the body and the skin. There are conflicting estimates of the prevalence of anal fissure—a small tear in the anal canal—in people with Crohn’s disease, varying from about a third to more than half of patients. Hemorrhoids, while common in the general population, are not as much of a concern in people who have Crohn’s disease.
