Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 5, 2026

Recognition of Epidermal Transglutaminase by IgA and Tissue Transglutaminase 2 Antibodies in a Rare Case of Rhesus Dermatitis
Published on: December 15, 2011
Riga-Fede disease in a child
1Department of Oral Medicine, Zhengzhou University of School of Stomatology, Zhengzhou, China.
Insights
Riga-Fede disease (RFD) in children can stem from various causes beyond natal teeth. This case highlights tongue-thrusting habits as a potential trigger, emphasizing prompt intervention for healing.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Dentistry
- Oral Pathology
Background:
- Riga-Fede disease (RFD) is typically associated with infant trauma from natal teeth.
- Similar lesions can occur due to repetitive tongue-thrusting or neurological conditions.
Observation:
- A 6-year-old boy presented with an ulcer on the anterior ventral tongue.
- The lesion was attributed to a repetitive tongue-thrusting habit.
Findings:
- The case demonstrates an unusual presentation of RFD in an older child.
- Complete healing was achieved after removing the traumatic habit and a week of drug therapy.
Implications:
- Highlights the importance of considering tongue-thrusting habits in differential diagnosis of lingual ulcers.
- Suggests conservative management can be effective for RFD in children.
- Broadens the understanding of etiological factors for Riga-Fede disease.
Abstract:
Riga-Fede disease (RFD) was initially described as a benign ulceration of the lingual frenum or tongue of infants, most commonly resulting from repetitive trauma by natal teeth. However, similar clinical manifestations can also be found in children with repetitive tongue-thrusting habits or certain neurological disorders. This report describes an unusual case of RFD in a 6-year-old Chinese boy. The lesion appeared as an ulcer on the anterior ventral surface of the child's tongue, and was caused by a repetitive tongue-thrusting habit. After eliminating the source of repetitive trauma and starting concurrent use of therapeutic drugs for 1 week, the lesion healed completely.
More Related Videos
07:50A Metadata Extraction Approach for Clinical Case Reports to Enable Advanced Understanding of Biomedical Concepts
Published on: September 20, 2018
05:45Diagnosis of Hirschsprung's Disease by Immunostaining Rectal Suction Biopsies for Calretinin, S100 Protein and Protein Gene Product 9.5
Published on: April 26, 2019
Related Concept Videos
Rheumatic Heart Disease I: Introduction
Rheumatic Heart Disease II: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Studies
Cardiomyopathy IV: Restrictive Cardiomyopathy
The Retinoblastoma Gene
The first-ever tumor suppressor gene called Rb was identified in retinoblastoma - a rare eye tumor in children. In inherited forms of the disease, a child inherits one defective copy of the Rb gene, which predisposes them to retinoblastoma. However,...
Rheumatic Heart Disease IV: Nursing Management
Rheumatic Heart Disease III: Medical Management