Gingival enlargement among the paediatric population: an overview and case report

Abstract

Patients often present with complaints of ‘bleeding and inflamed gums’, which is most frequently indicative of plaque-induced gingivitis. However, bleeding and gingival enlargement can be associated with local and systemic factors and, in some cases, be indicative of malignancy. An 18-month-old boy attended an emergency department with a 4-day history of unexplained bleeding from the gingivae. Intra-oral examination, revealed generalized enlargement of the maxillary gingivae. The gingivae were pink with loss of stippling and a spongy appearance. Following blood tests, the child was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). CPD/Clinical Relevance: An awareness of acute leukaemia is important as oral lesions can be the earliest clinical feature and dentists may be the first to see a patient.