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Scab/blood on 3yr old gum after faceplant. On holiday. Help!

6 replies

pooka · 17/08/2013 07:53

We're on holiday in cornwall. About 5 days ago ds2 fell smack on his face on a patio. His lip was massive and pretty bloody. I rang minor injuries and they said unlikely that anything could be done as was burst lip rather than cuts iyswim.

It seemed to be healing. Lip swelling went down and he no longer resembled post surgery Leslie ash. All good. But yesterday he did it AGAIN. Bit more blood. Less swelling. Much less severe injury. But but but - he seems to have this kind of scab on the gum above the front teeth. Sort of browny/red. If you wipe gently with salt water it wipes with red blood. And he's sleeping now but I can see that it's bled again overnight. He does have a dummy.

What on earth do you think I should do? In a bit of a panic because dh flying home today, I'm here alone with the 3 dcs and have no idea whether this is something that will go, is normal when you've got an accident prone ds, nothing to worry about etc. or whether I should be trying to find someone hopefully in a 40 mile radius who can see him.

He has NO tooth pain. He's not keen on me looking at it. I think it's a bit sore when prodded (but not exceptionally so, and I'm sure most scabs are). But the teeth are rock solid and seem the same length and straightness as ever before.

Aaaarrrghh!

I think my gut is saying that it will heal, but is hard in a moist mouth.

Of course I'm trying to work out whether my gut is wrong wrong wrong and being influenced by the fact were away from home and I don't know about medical services here to the same degree as I do at home and I don't have the same relaxed ability to access our lovely gp just for a once over.

OP posts:
sneezecakesmum · 17/08/2013 11:45

Provided you are sure there is no head injury worries and there are no cuts that need stitching etc then I would get him checked over by your dentist when you get home. His teeth may look fine but its best to check what's below the gum line with a fall on the face. The gp won't be interested (or much use) as most mouth things are dental.

I don't see any need for emergency dentist as there's nothing acute going on.

Mouth wounds heal astonishingly fast. A warm moist atmosphere is ideal plus an excellent blood supply in the mouth! Contrary to popular belief Smile

sneezecakesmum · 17/08/2013 11:46

Ex A&E and NHS direct nurse btw Grin

5madthings · 17/08/2013 11:55

What sneeze said, I am not a nurse but my mum is and I always follow her advice. My ds2 was always splitting his lip, bashing his teeth/gums, he crawled at 5mths and walked at 9mths and climbed all the time!

I always just let him bfeed, if necessary put something cold on to help the swelling, let them suck an ice Lilly etc. And made a dentist app to get a check, they must have been sick of the site of us but they were always very happy to check him over and he was always fine :)

5madthings · 17/08/2013 11:55

Sight of us not site...

pooka · 17/08/2013 17:09

Thanks so much for your advice, both of you!

He's bright as a button and no pain at all. The dentist really is going to be sick of the sight of us, because we were only there for check ups the day before we came away. Sod's law. A check up which ncluded him talking about the grey/dead tooth ds already has from previous tripping injury! He said then that should keep an eye out for blister or swelling and I suppose that would apply now too?

Thank god they're baby teeth. And fingers crossed no damage to adult ones behind. It's just a bit worrying when he randomly bleeds from the scab on his gum - nothing to stitch, that's for sure.

Thanks again. :)

OP posts:
sneezecakesmum · 18/08/2013 08:32

Sounds good so far! From personal experience DD at the same age fell face forward UP concrete steps and full on mouth plant! She did smash her front teeth and for a couple of years had a blister coming up and down in the gum above which turned out to be a bit of tooth embedded below the gum. The dentist had to cut it out Sad and no front teeth for years, but her adult teeth are fine. Devastated as she was such a beautiful toddler. DH has never been forgiven for not supervising her properly....well only just Grin

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