Riga-Fede’s Disease.

Riga Fede’s disease (RFD) is a rare ulcerative lesion of the tongue that can be found in newborns with natal or neonatal teeth. Natal/neonatal teeth are the prematurely erupted teeth which usually are the primary lower incisors. When babies are breastfed or bottle-fed, the sharp edges of natal/neonatal teeth injure the ventral surface of the tongue repetitively. These repetitive traumas cause the sublingual ulcerative lesion. RFD lesions cause pain, eating difficulty and bleeding. Prolong tongue trauma may lead to more severe problems which affect the babies’ health including inadequate nutrient intake, dehydration and underweight. The early detection and intervention of RFD is very important to prevent the severe complications or permanent damage such as growth retardation and tongue deformity. This review describes the aetiology, clinical appearance, histology, differential diagnosis, signs, symptoms, complications and treatment of RFD. Riga-Fede’s disease is a rare oral lesion that is found mainly on the ventral surface of the tongue in paediatric patients. The clinical appearance of RFD is an ulcerated circular erythematous lesion, with an indurated border. Parents usually bring their child to the dentist because of feeding problems. The child often cries, and refuses to eat due to severe pain in the tongue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]