Orofacial Crohn’s Disease: A Case Report

Crohn’s disease is a chronic disease of the digestive system. It is characterized by lesions predominantly located in the small intestine and colon, although they may also occur in any segment of the gut, including oral cavity. Involvement of the oral mucosa in Crohn’s disease may be underreported, as up to 42% of the pediatric patients with Crohn’s disease were found to have oral lesions after undergoing a thorough oral examination. Here, we present a case of Crohn’s disease, in which the patient referred to the dentist due to non-healing aphthous ulcers in the mouth. Our patient, a 16 year-old boy, admitted to the dentistry clinic with swelling of the oral mucosa and the lips, for the last 3 months. The patient was referred to our department due to non-response of the mucosal lesions to repeated cycles of medical treatment. Colonoscopy revealed a cobblestone appearance especially in the left colon, partly normal mucosa, and exudative ulcers. Biopsy samples showed increased inflammatory cell infiltration in the lamina propria, cryptitis in some of the crypts. A close collaboration between gastroenterologists and dentists is useful when addressing the diagnosis and appropriate management of these patients.