What is Oral Myiasis or Maggots in the Mouth?

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Mouth larvae are parasites that hatch and live inside the oral cavities of human and animal hosts. These pests can cause a dangerous infection known as oral myiasis. This disorder rarely occurs in humans, but it can affect people living and traveling in developing countries. Certain conditions can make you more susceptible to oral myiasis. Here’s what you need to know about mouth larvae species, common causes of these creepy pests, and how to get rid of them.

What Is Mouth Larva?

The larvae of certain fly species can invade soft tissues inside the oral cavity, like gums and open wounds. These pests typically infect livestock and other vertebrate animals in tropical areas, but they can affect humans in rare cases. People can develop oral myiasis by eating larvae in their food. Flies can also enter the mouth and lay eggs in wounds.

How to Treat Mouth Larvae?

Health care professionals can treat mouth larvae by topically applying chloroform, mercuric chloride, mineral oil, or turpentine. These substances suffocate the larvae and force them to emerge from mouth tissues for oxygen.

After this application, a doctor typically extracts the mouth larvae surgically using clinical pincers or hemostats. Lidocaine is sometimes injected into cysts to push larvae to the surface.

Patients should receive antibiotics to treat secondary bacterial infections caused by mouth larvae and multivitamins to supplement their diet.