Bilateral Lower Lip Swelling as an Early Manifestation of Crohn's Disease in a 16-Year-Old Patient: A Case Report.

Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are chronic inflammatory bowel diseases that are often diagnosed with a significant delay. Although Crohn's disease can affect the entire gastrointestinal tract-from the mouth to the anus-ulcerative colitis is limited to the colon and rectum. This report describes the case of a 16-year-old male patient who suffered from a painless, bilateral swelling of the lower lip persisting for 4 months. Elevated fecal calprotectin (510 mg/kg) and subsequent endoscopic examination confirmed the diagnosis of Crohn's disease. Immunosuppressive therapy led to full resolution of the lip swelling and overall clinical improvement. Oral manifestations such as ulcers, gingivitis, and angular cheilitis can be the first signs of a systemic disease, such as Crohn's disease in this case, and therefore provide an opportunity for early detection by general dentists.