When a soft blue or purple swelling appears on a baby's gum right where a tooth is expected, the usual explanation is an eruption cyst: a little fluid, sometimes tinged with blood, trapped above the crown of the incoming tooth. It generally needs nothing more than time, and it fades once the tooth pushes through. Please do not try to pop it at home, as that can let infection in.
We cover the topic in detail, including how to tell it apart from other gum lumps and which signs mean a dentist should look, in our main article on eruption cysts and eruption haematomas in babies.
If your child's teeth seem late to arrive, our guide to delayed tooth eruption in children explains the normal range and the reasons for delay. For older children, a first adult molar that gets caught behind the baby tooth in front of it is covered in when a child's first adult molar comes in crooked.
Questions about your baby's gums or new teeth are welcome at any visit. Our general and family dentistry page explains how children's appointments work, and our current offers page lists what is available now.
