'Sore mouth'

[Backinthebox]

2.10 yo DD has been complaining about a sore mouth since Sunday. She has not been eating much, claiming her mouth hurts. I did initially wonder if it could be her teeth, but when I last went to my own dentist he told me not to bring her for a check up till she was 3, and that provided we were making efforts to brush her teeth she would be fine till then.

Then on Sunday morning OH complained of a sore throat, and I had a bit of a sore throat too. I asked DD to open her mouth (which was tricky in itself!) and she seemed to have a red throat with a little ulcer at the back. So we put it down to that, and were sympathetic with all her wailing most of the weekend.

This morning, however, she is still saying her mouth is sore, but her throat is no longer red. However she is slurring her speech a little bit, as if she is holding her mouth stiff. She won't eat anything. I have no idea now whether it is sore throat, toothache or what. Whatever I ask her, she just says 'yes' to. I could call my dentist, but I know they will have a locum on because when I went for a checkup 2 weeks ago I was chatting to the dentist and his wife was 2 days past her due date - so I imagine he is at home atm!

Any suggestions? I could see the locum, but I have a bit of a thing with dentists myself due to apalling treatment at the hands of a locum when I was young, and want her first visit to be with a dentist I trust.

Maybe sounds more like its some bug rather than a dentist thing - just cos of the timings and you/OH having something similar. Her throat may not be red looking but it could still be sore maybe, or ulcers in her mouth or something? Have you tried giving her some Calpol and seeing how it goes? Or could she be teething - getting 2yo molars? Could you have a feel around her mouth and see if there are any teeth that seem sore - guess that might suggest more that its tooth ache. You could maybe go to the Dr's first and see what they say, if you're not too keen on the locum dentist - and then go to them if the Dr thinks its teeth as second port of call. Or just wait it out for a day or so and see if its a bug that runs its course? My DS2 had hand foot and mouth virus recently - just the odd spot on his hands and feet, and apparently they can get them in their mouths making it sore - and that seems to affect different people differently- some asymptomatic, some quite bad temperatures - mine just had the spots but was absolutely fine. Hard to know in that age group, where they can talk but not quite enough to be sure, isn't it?!