Acute gingival bleeding as a complication of falciparum malaria: a case report

Acute gingival bleeding can occasionally be the only sign of systemic bleeding problems. The diagnosis and management of such conditions may challenge the skills of the dentist.

The present report describes a case of severe, prolonged gingival bleeding in a 54-year-old woman as a consequence of Plasmodium falciparum malaria infection. Specific highlights are focused on the management of the patient with emphasis on early diagnosis of the disease so as to improve the prognosis. This case report also stresses that medical intervention to correct the underlying aberration of hemostasis is necessary for local dental measures to successfully stop bleeding.

Acute gingival bleeding as a complication of systemic disease can be challenging to manage unless the underlying systemic cause is diagnosed. Therefore, the dentist must be aware of various systemic conditions that can lead to gingival bleeding. The present case report describes a patient with acute gingival bleeding secondary to Plasmodium falciparum infection.