<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><article><front><Journal-meta><journal-id journal-id-type='publisher'>DJ/167/2025</journal-id><journal-title >Enviro Dental Journal</journal-title><issn pub-type='PPub'>0125-888</issn><issn pub-type='ePub'>0125-895</issn><publisher><publisher-name>Enviro Research Publishers</publisher-name></publisher></Journal-meta><article-meta><article-id pub-id-type='other'>cwe-29-30-000</article-id><title-group><article-title><p>Functional Oral Self-Mutilation in Children: A Clinical Case Series</p></article-title></title-group><contrib-group><contrib contrib-type='author'><name><surname>Gomes</surname><given-names>Marília </given-names></name><xref ref-type='aff' rid='aff00'><sup></sup></xref></contrib><contrib contrib-type='author'><name><surname>Moreno</surname><given-names>Ana Paula </given-names></name><xref ref-type='aff' rid='aff00'><sup></sup></xref><xref ref-type='corresp' rid='cor001'>*</xref></contrib><contrib contrib-type='author'><name><surname>Fernandes</surname><given-names>Letícia </given-names></name><xref ref-type='aff' rid='aff00'><sup></sup></xref></contrib><contrib contrib-type='author'><name><surname>Liévana</surname><given-names>Fernanda </given-names></name><xref ref-type='aff' rid='aff00'><sup></sup></xref></contrib><contrib contrib-type='author'><name><surname>Rossi</surname><given-names>Andiara </given-names></name><xref ref-type='aff' rid='aff00'><sup></sup></xref></contrib></contrib-group><aff id='aff001'><sup>1</sup><instname>University of São Paulo</instname>,<deptname>Department of Pediatric Dentistry</deptname>, <instaddress>School of Dentistry of Ribeirão Preto</instaddress>, <instcity>Ribeirão Preto</instcity>, <instcountry>Brazil</instcountry>.</aff><pub-date pub-type='ppub'><publicationDate></publicationDate></pub-date><doi>10.12944/EDJ.07.0102.09</doi><volume> Volume 7</volume><issue>issue 1-2</issue><page>64-70</page><abstract><title>Abstract</title><p><p class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;\" lang=\"EN-GB\">Functional oral self-mutilation is an uncommon behavioral condition in children without neurological or syndromic disorders. It may cause significant soft-tissue injury and requires careful diagnosis and interdisciplinary management.</span><span lang=\"EN-US\"><strong><o:p></o:p></strong></span></p><p class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;\" lang=\"EN-GB\">This report describes three pediatric cases with distinct patterns of functional oral self-mutilation. The first case involved a 6-year-old boy who presented with periungual trauma resulting from repetitive nail-biting. The second case described a 7-year-old boy who developed a localized gingival lesion adjacent to tooth 54 due to habitual scratching with the fingernail. The third case involved a 9-year-old girl who exhibited recurrent trauma to the labial and buccal mucosa caused by digital manipulation. All patients received individualized care including oral hygiene instruction, behavioral guidance, and psychological referral.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=\"MsoNormal\"><span style=\"mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;\" lang=\"EN-GB\">Functional oral self-mutilation represents a behavioral challenge that requires early recognition and multidisciplinary intervention. Caregiver education, psychological support, and preventive dental management are essential for long-term control and prognosis.<o:p></o:p></span></p></p></abstract><kwd-group><title>Keywords</title><kwd>Children</kwd><kwd> Case report</kwd><kwd> Gingival trauma</kwd><kwd> Oral self-injury</kwd><kwd> Pediatric dentistry</kwd></kwd-group><counts><ref-count count='' /><page-count count='' /></counts></article-meta></front><back><ref-list><title>References</title></ref-list></back></article>