MORSICATIO LINGUARUM: A CASE REPORT

Nimisha Doval, Navneet Kaur Bhatia, M.S.Bhatia*

ABSTRACT

Morsicatio is a condition caused by habitual chewing of the lips (labiorum), tongue (linguarum), or buccal mucosa (buccarum). Clinically, it often produces lesions caused by pieces of the oral mucosa torn free from the surface. The condition is generally found among people who are stressed or psychologically impaired. Most patients with this condition are not even aware of their biting habit. The primary treatment strategy would be identification of the cause, treatment with anxiolytics and identification of the relevant psychosocial of interpersonal stressors precipitating the disorder. We present a case report of a middle aged female who was referred from a dentist with chronic tongue chewing.

Keywords: Tongue biting, stress, psychiatric disorders, treatment, SSRIs, Behaviour therapy