DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2014.v02i06.022

Pages: 2056-2058

Self-injurious behavior (SIB) results in the infliction of physical damage and, perhaps, pain upon oneself. Oral injuries of this type seem to be much more common in children than in teenagers and adults; mostly reported in female patients. The gingiva is the most commonly targeted tissue and no structure in the oral cavity is immune from the effects of this type of behavior. A 6 -year-old girl was referred to the department of Paedodontics & Preventive Dentistry for evaluation and treatment of the gingival ulcer associated with the maxillary right central incisor. For managing such self inflicting habit, oral hygiene instructions were given to the parents and child. The patient was asked to refrain from the habit and trim her fingernail. She was also asked to refrain from the old toothbrush which might cause injury to the gingival tissue. As a part of reminder therapy parents were asked to apply adhesive bandage to the index finger of their child till one week. A local anesthetic gel was prescribed asked to apply on the lesion.