Palatal foreign body: Beware of diagnostic delay – A three-case series

Palatal foreign bodies are rare and may mimic mucosal lesions, leading to diagnostic delays. We report three paediatric cases involving foreign objects located on the hard palate. In two cases, the lesions were initially misdiagnosed and managed with empirical antibiotic therapy. The third patient was referred following the accidental insertion of a coin into the oral cavity. Upon thorough clinical examination, all cases revealed the presence of foreign bodies firmly adherent to the hard palate, specifically rounded plastic objects in two patients and a coin in the third. In-office removal was successful without mucosal injury. These cases highlight the diagnostic challenges posed by atypical foreign bodies in the oral cavity, particularly when history is lacking or misleading. Clinicians should consider foreign body impaction in the differential diagnosis of persistent palatal lesions in children. A careful oral examination is essential to avoid unnecessary treatment and to ensure prompt and safe management.