Things in the mouth

[Krystal5]

Maiya is 3 in a month, and hasn't been putting things in her mouth since something like 12 months.

Within the last fews days to a week-ish, she is starting to CONSTANTLY put things in her mouth. Her fingers, hands, toys, books, dolls, necklace. I feel like I'm constantly telling her to get xyz out of her mouth. She understands as much about germs as a 35 month old can understand, and when I ask her why she is putting things in her mouth, she just tells me "Why I want to!"

She has told me her mouth hurts (NOT when I ask why she's putting things in her mouth, but randomly), and that she wants to see a dentist. In fact, we have a birthday party tomorrow, and she keeps telling me, "I want to go to the dentist first, then the birthday party." But, she's two, and has two friends who she recently witnessed hurt their mouths and knows they went to the dentist. So, I put about as much stock in that as I do in her saying "why I want to!"

Not surprisingly, she just came down with a cold yesterday.

Since this came on so suddenly, and was followed shortly by a cold, and she had a cold about a month ago (cold season, ya know...), I'm wondering if there may be a reason for it. Has anyone ever seen this as a symptom to something? I'm just totally guessing, but maybe could it be because she has a sore throat? Tooth ache? Cavity? Cold sores? Tonsilitis?

I have looked in her mouth and see NOTHING, but I'm no professinal. She is not teething and has all her baby teeth. Before she came down with her cold, she was acting fine. Even now with her cold, it seems mild, and other than being a little cranky and not eating quite as much as normal, she seems "fine". In your minds, if this continues, would it warrant a trip to the doctor or dentist? Or is it likely a phase?

[hotpinkmomma0811]

I wonder if its her way of using objects/ hands in her mouth as a comfort measure? Though she is older. I would ask her if she just wants a teddy bear /doll to hug when she is feeling sick if that will make her happy instead of using things in her mouth. If she hasn't been to a dentist yet take her. Its good to go at this age since she is almost 3 and that's the typical recommendation she might like the dentist. Cody actually likes the dentist brushing his teeth more so than when I help.

[SweetTinkerbelle]

When was she at the dentist last? If she's due for a regular cleaning, I would make an appointment and mention it then. She might just have sensitive teeth but if there's a cavity I know I would want to know before it gets too bad. But if she has a three year well visit scheduled before you can get to a dentist, I'd mention it there first.

[JJorn]

My kids both stopped and then started again after a long period. I know a lot of other children my oldest's age and around three they all started putting things in their mouth again. It has gotten a lot better again. I first thought that it was because my son was still putting things in his mouth but other three year old children without younger siblings were doing the same thing.

[mla]

We went through the same thing w/DS when he was just about 3.5. He was putting fingers in his mouth, and he NEVER did that as a baby. I think it's a pretty normal phase. A little regression, I guess.

[NHKate]

My DD, who just turned 3, went through a phase of putting lots of things in her mouth again a few months ago. I don't know why she was doing it, but apparently it seems to be a common enough thing. It didn't last very long, fortunately.

[MomOfAnOnly]

Emme's 4 and still puts things (mostly her fingers) in her mouth when she's sick with a cold. I can't say I noticed it when she was younger, but she was hardly ever sick then--- and if she did do it, it would have been more age appropriate so it probably didn't even register in my brain. Since she weaned she's been sick constantly, so now is when I've noticed it.

[Krystal5]

Thanks all!

She has been to the dentist, and her next appointment is 4/8, so just over a month from now. Since she asked to see the dentist so much, I debated moving it up...

So it sounds like it could be sickness related, or just a phase... Thanks! I'll keep an eye on it, and ask the dentist when we go. And she might even get a 3 year appointment with the doctor, and I could ask then, too.