The white sponge nevus or Cannon´s disease has been called familial white folded dysplasia of the mucous membranes.  It is a familial process that appears to follow a hereditary pattern as an autosomal dominant trait, developing most fully during puberty, but can be seen from birth.  The oral lesions mainly affect the buccal mucosa, which appears as thickened and folded or corrugated with a soft or spongy texture and a peculiar white opalescent hue.(Shafer, Hine and Levy)  The lesion is soft, with the aspect and consistency of a sponge, and asymptomatic, increasing with age. (courtesy of  Dr. Eugenio Borello)