Case report: A unique presentation of severe tongue biting in 10 month-old twins with a novel approach to management.

BACKGROUND

Tongue biting in infants has a variety of aetiological factors and is a distressing problem.

CASE REPORT: 10 month-old twin boys presented with severe ulceration of the tongue caused by self-mutilation and a maternal family history of this condition.

TREATMENT: Thermoplastic splints were used to protect the tongue and facilitate healing, with denture fixative added to aid retention in the mouth.

FOLLOW-UP: The twins have been recalled regularly and at their most recent review, two years after initial presentation, one twin did not need a splint at all, and the other suffered only from very occasional episodes of tongue biting.

CONCLUSION

A conservative and well-tolerated approach to treatment for such problems is presented.