yellow on teeth

i noticed that my DD had all this yellow looking gunk on the top line (near gum) of her top teeth this morning. admittedly i did forget to do her teeth yesterday, but could it build up like that in just one day? i touched it and it was soft not hard, and then when i brushed it it came of relatively easily. i find doing her top front teeth really hard actually cause she always pushes her tounge out to cover them up.

any ideas on brushing technique?

and is the yellow stuff plaque? so if i hadnt have brushed it off it would have grew harder and then caused decay?

also, can it buil up so quickly in just one day?

thanks.

Hi Hollo

Maybe it was something she ate last night that just stayed in her mouth and naturally was pushed up towards the gum line?

With my kids, it doesn't take long for their teeth to get that Yellowish gleam about them (sometimes just missing one brushing will do it). It is hard when they push their tongue out and clamp their mouths shut and all those lovely experimental things they like doing ;) Keep persevering, and if you're worried the yellow may be linked to something else (eg an infection or something coming out of the gum) take her to the dentist asap.

oooo! i didnt even think of anything like that. i will definately keep my eye on whats going on!

DD gets it on her teeth too - I notice it just before we brush. I just think it's food from that day (sounds gross I know!) but it does come off very easily with a good brush

hey do you reckon this warrants a trip tp the dentist? its been a couple days since the yellow on the teeth episode, but now that i am checking them more there seems to be a small amount of blood in the gum line on the top teeth. well its not blood so far as to dripping blood, but little reddish areas. i dont know whether its cause i brushed too hard that day to get the yellow off or if there is something really wrong? should i go to GP first? or straght to dentist?

Dental nurse here!!!

The yellow stuff is plaque and yes if it is left on there it hardens and turns into calculus and CAN cause decay - you are doing the right thing by cleaning it off while its still soft.
It is perfactly normal - we all get it... Just make sure you continue brushing them as well as you can, I find with my 2yo i have better luck getting a facewasher on those top teeth and just giving them a wipe - not ideal but better than nothing.

With the bleegind - that is a sign that the gums are inflamed from the plaque being there but you are not causing it by brushing to hard at all - the body bleeds as a cleansing mechanism and i always explain it as the gums 'breathing' again after having the gunk taken off. You would need to get to the dentist quickly if the blleding doesnt settle down after a week or so.

How old is she anyway? Its always a good idea to take kids to the dentist when they are young anyway - just to get used to it, i recommend about 18mths to 2 years - that way they are going and it is all positive as they wont need anything done but that means no pain associated with the dentist as well which is always a good thing - not to mention its a great habit to get your kids in to, regular checks.

Sorry to ramble on here!

no no it wasnt a ramble! thanks for your help! my DD is 19 months. i was thinking it was about time to go to the dentist with her, i have asked before and they said when you think she is old enough to not be scared etc. but i figure at least if she can sit on my lap in the chair she will start to get a little bit used to the surroundings. i dont think she will open her mouth yet though.

i will have another look at her gumline today and see if it settles down soon.

thanks heaps, you have put my mind at ease!

cindyb, i just took hannah to the dentist just for a first check up and since i had that issue i thought it was a good a time as any. anyway, they said exactly what you said.! so you gave good advice!

they gave me a sample toothpast which is colgate. i just read the ingredients and it contains sorbitol and saccharin, arent these sugars?? wierd!

Sorbitol and sacchrin are suger replacements - artificial sweetners!

Good to know I was on the mark!!! I had to take my munchkin to the dentist today as she knocked her tooth OUT on the weekend - seems it is ok though - i shoved it back in the gap straight away and looks like it is actually going to heal which will be nice!