Lip biting in a pediatric dental patient after dental local anesthesia: a case report

Self-inflicted lip trauma is a potential complication of dental treatment involving local anesthesia of the inferior alveolar nerve, particularly among children. Children presenting with this self-limiting condition are often times misdiagnosed as having a localized bacterial infection. In some extreme cases, children have been unnecessarily hospitalized and treated with systemic antibiotics or surgical interventions. This case report describes a child who bit his lip after a dental appointment and was subsequently hospitalized for monitoring. Pediatric nurses are in a unique position to help parents and primary care physicians properly diagnose and manage this benign condition palliatively.