Dentures and Dentist

Dentures and Dentist

How to Deal With an Eruption Cyst

Julian Andrews

During teething, some babies develop a lump on their gums when a tooth is about to come through; older children may also get these lumps before a permanent tooth erupts. Often known as eruption cysts or teething blisters, these bumps usually look like a bluish or even blackish bruise or blister on the gum and are typically caused by bleeding under the skin, according to Healthdirect Australia. Is there anything you need to do if your child gets an eruption cyst?

Eruption Cysts Are a Normal Part of the Teething Process

Although eruption cysts may look a little scary for you as a parent, they are typically painless and don't pose any problems for kids. Many kids won't even notice that they are there. From your perspective as a parent, these lumps are actually a useful indicator that a tooth is getting ready to come through the gum.

You'll usually find that the cyst disappears naturally of its own accord once the tooth comes through without the need for any treatment, so the best course of action is usually to leave the cyst alone. Although popping or pricking an eruption cyst may be tempting, especially if it looks like a blister, you shouldn't do this. If you open up the cyst, it may get infected, become painful and require treatment.

When to Consult Your Dentist

According to Healthdirect Australia, you should consult your dentist about an eruption cyst if your child's tooth doesn't erupt within a month or so of the cyst appearing. This may mean that the tooth is having problems pushing through the gum as it should. If this happens, the tooth may need a little professional help. For example, your dentist may want to make a cut in the gum to give the tooth an exit point, hopefully then encouraging it to drop down into position.

You should also make an appointment to see your dentist if the cyst doesn't disappear after a tooth has come through or if it causes your child significant pain. Although eruption cysts typically don't hurt, they may occasionally get infected and become painful, at which point they may need to be treated.

Warning: Lumps or bumps on the gum that develop when children aren't at the teething or adult teeth eruption stage should always be checked out by a dentist. Cysts that aren't related to teeth coming through may require dental treatment.


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Dentures and Dentist

Hello, my name is Jack. I am now 79 years old. As you can imagine, my teeth have taken something of a battering over the years. I lost a couple of teeth in a bar fight, four more decayed and one had to be extracted when it became infected. After losing so many teeth, my dentist suggested that I have dentures fitted. I was worried about this but my dentist was really great. He helped explain the procedure and then did an excellent job. I love my new dentures and I wanted to start this blog to offer help to others.

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