Question:

My friend has a four moth old that was born with teeth. He bit his gum and it is now hanging. She took him to his doctor, but she said he is too young to get stiches. What can she do to ease his pain? Should she take him to a dentist?

Answer:

Often the best way to manage cuts to the gums or other places in the mouth is just to let them heal. Sometimes attempts to suture a wound only cause more pain and damage and will not speed the healing.

 

However, if she has concerns after seeing the doctor, she should take the child to a pediatric dentist (a specialist in children’s dentistry). She can find one by looking in the yellow pages or consulting the website of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry at http://www.aapd.org/finddentist/  

For more information:

Go to the Healthy Mouth, Healthy Kids health topic.