A Foreign Body Embedded in the Gingiva of the Mandibular Posterior Region in a 13.5-Month-Old Child: A Case Report

Children may insert foreign objects into their oral cavity, which can lead to hard and soft tissue injuries. These foreign bodies can act as a potential source of infection and later lead to painful conditions in the child. The purpose of this article is to report an unusual case of oral swelling due to an embedded foreign body.
Case Report: The patient is a 13.5-month-old boy who referred with his parents complaining of a bright red swelling measuring about 1×1 cm in the area of the first molar on the right side of the mandible. This bump appeared suddenly, had a firm consistency and a smooth surface and was painless. In the periapical radiograph, the deciduous first molar tooth was seen growing and no abnormality was seen. Due to the strong adhesion of the lesion to the underlying mucosa, the attempt to isolate the lesion using a catheter was not successful. Due to the unusual appearance of the lesion and the child's non-cooperation, a conservative approach was adopted and follow-up for the lesion was considered. In the follow-up within two weeks, the foreign body was separated from the gingival tissue by itself, and the eruption of the lower tooth took place naturally two weeks later.

The results of this study show that in clinical conditions with an unusual appearance and unknown etiology, foreign bodies should be considered as a differential diagnosis in children and early invasive treatments should be avoided as much as possible.