Just when we thought we'd seen it all, a photo of a woman whose swollen, overgrown gums look just like strawberries surfaced on the interwebs. A rare manifestation of a very rare disease caused the 42-year-old's gums to appear red, puffy, and granular. You have to see it to believe it—but don't worry, there's a photo below.
A case report in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), which was published in 2017 but recently started going viral again, tells us the Iranian woman went to the dermatologist complaining of a strange mix of symptoms. She had been experiencing a painful case of gum overgrowth for about six weeks as well as recurrent nosebleeds and necrotic ulcers on her face (meaning her skin cells were dying).
Gum overgrowth itself is called gingival hyperplasia, but when it has a "granular and hemorrhagic appearance" (as the author of the case report puts it), it's called strawberry gingivitis.
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Doctors treated the woman with a medication to suppress her immune system called cyclophosphamide, which is also sometimes used to treat cancer, as well as a steroid called prednisolone, used to treat inflammation. Unfortunately, doctors didn't hear from the woman after she began treatment, so they can't be sure what came of her case.
Cram says gingival hyperplasia often subsides after the underlying cause is treated or changed. For those who have gingival hyperplasia because of genetics, the condition can usually be managed by being extra hygienic. In severe cases, the gums can also be trimmed back, she adds.
If you notice anything out of the ordinary happening with your gums, it's important you see a dentist or doctor as soon as possible. Cram says the earlier you catch it, the better it can be treated.
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