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 Ask Dr. Jana
White Spots on Gums | | | QUESTION | | | Dear Dr. Jana,
My 11-month-old son has his two bottom teeth. He seems to be working on his two top teeth. I saw a white spot on his gum about where a tooth will come in, but it doesn't feel hard like a tooth and it looks like an indentation as opposed to a protrusion of a tooth. Is it possible that he has a canker sore? Or is this a sign of something more serious? It has been there for about two weeks. He has no fever and acts fine...some days he chews and drools more than others and seems cranky, so I give him Tylenol. He eats finger foods fine and has a good appetite most days. Thank you for your help.— Lisa in Florida | | | ANSWER |
October 10, 2000 | | | Dear Lisa,
While I can't tell for sure without seeing your son, what you describe doesn't sound like a canker sore, which is a round, painful ulcer that doesn't usually appear in the same place as a tooth would. In some instances, children get harmless white cysts on their gums that look like teeth, but these aren't hard and they go away on their own. Also, the gums surrounding a soon-to-erupt tooth can mask its appearance, making the spot look red, purple, or pale and not at all toothlike.
When I discuss teething with parents, I explain that most babies gum, drool, and put things in their mouths for a variety of reasons. Some of this activity may be related to teething, but it's just as likely to be a demonstration of the oral curiosity that's one of the ways babies explore the world! Similarly, I think that babies have every right to have a cranky day, just like you or I do, and that more often than not it has nothing to do with teeth. I therefore encourage parents not to get in the habit of giving repeated doses of Tylenol® unless the crankiness is clearly due to an erupting tooth.
If the spot is still there, you might feel better if you have your son's healthcare provider examine him. She can tell you for certain if it's a canker sore, a cyst, or merely a latent tooth, and suggest any treatment that might be necessary.
— by Laura Jana, M.D., F.A.A.P. |
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