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Dr. Andrew Rynne
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Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Baby Has Fever, Gums Are Swollen, Foul Smelling. Is He Teething? Is It Gingivitis?

hi my 19 month old boy started with a fever a week ago which subsided after 2 days then i noticed a foul smell coming from his mouth and i thought he may be teething ,i looked into his mouth and his gums all appeared swollen there were no signs of thrush , i started to brush his teeth and he started to bleed on contact with the brush, this has been going on for three days . i started antibiotics today thinking this may be gingivitis bc of the foul smell swollen gums and bleeding with brushing , on two occasions he has cried and his gums started to bleed during the crying episode .. is this gingivitis ? i have been using chlorhexidine spray and the swelling has settled a little along with the antibiotics, but because of the bleeding i just wanted to make sure i wasnt missing anything
Fri, 3 May 2013
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Dentist 's  Response
Hello & welcome
According to the symptoms you are presenting here your child may be suffering from an viral infection known as primary herpetic gingivostomatitis.
Please notice whether along with the above symptoms is child showing restlessness, reluctance towards eatables, or some ulceration.
you have to keep proper oral hygiene, do gentle debridement & give lots of fluids to him.
visit your dentist as soon as possible.
take care and thanks.
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Dentist Dr. Gunjan Gupta's  Response
Hello there,

Thanks for your query.

At the age of 19 months swollen gums are sign of eruption of deciduous/milk teeth,pain is because of pressure exerted by erupting teeth on the gums.

Therefore there is no point to get worried.

But during this period children more prone to infection,so maintain good oral and general hygiene.

Fever may be because of viral infection,so do not give any medicine yourself, consult with a child specialist at the earliest and take a proper treatment.

Hope this will be helpful.
Take care.
Dr.Gunjan Gupta
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Dentist Dr. Sushma Rajesh's  Response
Hello,

Thanks for posting your query.

I understand that your baby is suffering from gum infection. Teething leads to swollen gums which turn makes a child cranky. It is important to maintain good oral hygiene to worsen the condition. Washing the mouth with wet cotton swab after every meal is important. But foul smelling or if any kind of infection could be viral origin hence better to consult pediatrician.

Hope that answers your query.
Take Care

Dr.Sushma Rajesh

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Dentist Dr. Bindiya Bhaskar's  Response
Hello and welcome to hcm forum,
The gum infection may be related to teething.

Massage your baby"s gums with clean fingers.

Give fluids as well as nutritious food to your baby.

Fruits and vegetables has to be included in diet.

Also consult your dentist regarding this.Rinse your baby's MOUTH after every meals.

Frequent gargle using warm saline may be helpful.

Teething rings can be given to your baby for chewing,this can help in teething.
Hope this helps.
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Dentist Dr. Shefali Gupta's  Response
Hi,
Thanks for asking query,
It seems that you child might be suffering from acute primary herpetic gingivostomatits ,it is a type of viral infection.You should consult the doctor before giving any medicine,until then maintain the proper hygiene and give plenty of fluid to the child.
Hope this will help you.
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Dentist Dr. Anshumala Singh's  Response
Dear friend.

Thanks for sharing your concern.

The swollen gums are seen due to eruption of milk teeth,pain is because of pressure exerted by erupting teeth on the gums.

very important to maintain oral hygiene ,in this case.

Cleaning the mouth with wet cotton swab after every meal is important.

But foul smell could be due to viral origin.

Your child may be suffering from any viral infection known as primary herpetic gingivostomatitis.

It is best to see your peadritic dentist for further help.

Take care.

Thanks.
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Dentist Dr. Qazi Ammara's  Response
Hi,

Thanks for asking the query,

According to your clinical history i suspect that your child is showing the symptoms of teething, due to erruption of decidous teeth exerts pressure on the gum pads leading to swelling & poor oral hygiene, further adds up to the condition, so i would advise you to maintain a good oral hygiene of your child.
Use lukewarm saline and antiseptic mouthwash rinses.
If the symptoms persists or worsen i would suggest you to visit a Pedodontist and get a checkup done.

Hope this helps out.

Regards...
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Baby Has Fever, Gums Are Swollen, Foul Smelling. Is He Teething? Is It Gingivitis?

Hello & welcome According to the symptoms you are presenting here your child may be suffering from an viral infection known as primary herpetic gingivostomatitis. Please notice whether along with the above symptoms is child showing restlessness, reluctance towards eatables, or some ulceration. you have to keep proper oral hygiene, do gentle debridement & give lots of fluids to him. visit your dentist as soon as possible. take care and thanks.