Background: The causes for intrinsic tooth discoloration can be separated into two categories as systemic and local. Systemic causes are either genetic or drug-induced effects. The development of dentition can also be affected by a number of systemic factors and metabolic diseases such as porphyria. Congenital erythropoietic porphyria (CEP), also known as Gunther's disease, is a metabolic disease caused by a transformation in the gene that codifies uroporphyrinogen-3 synthesis, leading to porphyrin aggregation in urine, skin, bone, and dentin.
Case report: A 21-month-old girl with erythrodontia was referred to Paediatric Dentistry Department in September 2017. A physical examination revealed blisters on her face, nose, hands, and feet. Laboratory findings showed highly elevated urine total uroporphyrin and total coproporphyrin I and III levels. Next-generation sequencing multigene panel testing for porphyria demonstrated a homozygous c.10C>T (p.L4F) mutation in the UROS gene. For curative therapy, the patient was admitted to the allogeneic bone marrow transplantation program.
Conclusion: Congenital erythropoietic porphyria most commonly presents in the first few years of life. Manifestations can include reddish-colored urine, skin blistering, scarring, and erythrodontia. A timely diagnosis can prevent undesirable skin findings of the disease and death due to hematological involvement before a curative allogeneic bone marrow transplantation is performed.
Keywords: erythrodontia; erythropoietic porphyria; tooth discoloration.
© 2019 BSPD, IAPD and John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.