title: Preventing factitious gingival injury in an autistic patient.
abstract: A 34-year-old man with a history of autism developed a deep gingival cleft. During clinical evaluation, the patient repeatedly scraped the affected area with his fingernail. The lesion's clinical features were consistent with focal inflammatory hyperplasia, periodontal disease and factitious stomatitis. This article describes the case and discusses diagnostic and behavioral issues important in treating any patient whose mental age is impaired.
authors.affiliation: General Dentistry, University of Texas Houston Health Science Center, USA.
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Matt
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dennison
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Koh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000150:complications*; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods; D003730:Dental Care for Persons with Disabilities / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D005162:Factitious Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005881:Gingiva / Q000293:injuries*; D005889:Gingival Recession / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D012008:Recurrence; D012201:Reward; D013280:Stomatitis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology