Primary Oral Myiasis - Rare Case Report

Oral myiasis is a rare disease caused by dipterous larvae that feed on the host's dead or living tissues, liquid body substances or ingested food. It is mostly reported in developing countries and in the tropics. Incidence of oral myiasis is comparatively lesser than that of cutaneous myiasis as oral tissues are not permanently exposed to the external environment. Cases of oral myiasis have been reported to occur following dental extraction, nosocomial infection, in drug addicts, visits to tropical countries, in psychiatric patients and conditions that are likely to cause prolonged mouth opening, like mouth breathing during sleep, senility, alcoholism and mental retardation. The flies are attracted to the fetid odor due to neglected oral hygiene or fermenting food debris. Persistent mouth opening facilitates the deposition of the eggs by the adult fly, with India's subtropical climate conducive to their breeding. Early removal of the maggots through various means is usually curative. Herein, a case of oral myiasis in the maxillary anterior region of a 60-year-old mentally challenged female is being reported. The clinical findings, etiology and the importance of oral health in medically compromised people are also discussed.