Primary tuberculosis of oral cavity: a rare entity revisited

Oral lesions of tuberculosis though uncommon, are seen both in the primary as well as the secondary stages of the disease. In secondary tuberculosis, the oral manifestations are accompanied by lesions in the lung, lymph nodes, or any other organ system of the body. This can be detected by the usual clinical history and systemic examination. Primary oral tuberculosis may thus present as a diagnostic challenge to the clinician. Amongst the oral lesions also, tongue is the usual site for tubercular infection, with the upper lip and soft palate being the least affected. The authors report two rare cases of children with isolated primary tuberculosis of the lip and uvula. Interestingly, the first case presenting just as a diffuse swelling of the upper lip, and the second as pain in throat with congestion and granulations on the uvula. We suggest a distinct Indian social habit which predisposes to primary lip and uvular tuberculosis, sites not common in the rest of the world. The habit of doing "datoon" i.e. brushing of the teeth with neem twigs in rural India, which at times causes trauma on the palate and thus predisposing to seedling of the wound with mycobacterium tuberculosis.