Riga-Fede disease in an infant: Clinical challenges and management strategies in resource limited setting- a case report

An unusual disorder seen in newborns with natal or neonatal teeth is traumatic ulceration of the ventral surface of the tongue (Riga-Fede disease). During physiological actions like sucking and swallowing, the tongue and natal or neonatal teeth come into constant contact, causing these lesions and worsening them. This can interfere with appropriate eating, placing the newborn at risk for nutritional deficiencies. We present a case of a 25-day-old infant presented with pain and ulceration on ventral surface of tongue caused due to trauma by natal tooth. Clinical examination revealed a solitary ulcerative lesion on the ventral surface of the tongue measuring 5×8 mm. Due to increased mobility of natal tooth, extraction of tooth was performed followed by regular monitoring of the patient. Infants with prematurely erupted teeth should undergo thorough examination to enable early diagnosis and appropriate treatment. When the baby is unable to breastfeed or devoid of any nutrition because of Riga-Fede disease, or when the teeth are poorly implanted which poses a risk of aspiration, extraction is the only way out to avoid further complication.