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Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is an autoimmune disease accounting for 80% of all cases of pemphigus. Before the advent of corticosteroid therapy, pemphigus was fatal, with a mortality rate of up to 75% in the first year. It is still a serious disorder, but the 5% to 10% mortality rate is now primarily due to the side effects of therapy.In 75% to 80% of cases, PV lesions first appear in the oral cavity. Dentists are therefore in a unique position to recognize the oral manifestations of the disease, allowing early diagnosis and initiation of treatment.The diagnosis is based on pathological examination and immunofluorescence testing. Systemic corticosteriods and steroid-sparing agents are the mainstays of treatment; topical corticosteroids may also be used to accelerate healing of persistent oral lesions. This article describes a 71-year-old woman with multiple chronic ulcers in the oral cavity, in whom PV was diagnosed 4 months after the symptoms first appeared. The article also reviews the current literature on diagnosis and treatment of the condition.