Primary Tuberculosis of Submandibular Gland Presenting as Dental Abscess

Primary Tuberculosis of Submandibular Gland Presenting as Dental Abscess

Objective: To alert the readers about the atypical presentation of submandibular gland tuberculosis.

Case report: A 65 year old male presented with left submandibular region swelling, fever and dental pain for one month. Dental extraction and antibiotic did not improve the condition. CT scan and FNAC were indicative of submandibular abscess. But histopathology of the surgical specimen diagnosed it to be tuberculosis of submandibular gland. The case ultimately treated with anti-tubercular therapy.

Conclusion: Because of atypical and varied presentations, surgery becomes unavoidable in most of the cases of submandibular gland tuberculosis. Hence, the practitioners should be careful while working up any suspicious case of submandibular swelling and PCR should be performed whenever accessible.