Epstein pearls
Definition
Epstein pearls are a whitish-yellow accumulation of keratin containing epithelial cells on the gums and hard palate of a newborn baby.
Alternative Names
Gingival cysts of the newborn
Causes
Epstein pearls occur only in the newborn and are very common, seen in approximately 80% of newborns. On the gums, they sometimes resemble emerging teeth. The condition is harmless although it sometimes worries new mothers.
Review Date: 10/30/2003
Reviewed By: Philip L. Graham III, M.D., M.S., F.A.A.P., Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of New York, Columbia University, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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