Teething can be a time of great frustration for caregivers, in this post we will discuss teething process list some of the most common symptoms, explain how they relate to teething and share some insight on how to help soothe your little one during this potentially uncomfortable time.
In this post, we’ll discuss:
- Teething Process and Common Milestones
- Signs of Teething
- Teething Symptoms
- Teething Remedies
- Teething Toys
- Taking Care of Baby’s New Teeth
Teething Process And Common Milestones
Your baby is getting teeth! You may be wondering: How long does teething take? When will my baby’s teeth come in?
The following is the general order of eruption of primary teeth:
- Central incisors: 6-12 months of age
- Lateral incisors: 9-16 months of age
- Canine teeth: 16-23 months of age
- First molars: 13-19 months of age
- Second molars: 22-24 months of age
- All 20 primary teeth are very important for growth and development; they foster good nutrition by aiding in chewing, aid in speech development and don’t forget that beautiful picture perfect smile!
Between 6 to 12 years of age, the roots of these 20 “baby” teeth degenerate, allowing their replacement with 32 permanent “adult” teeth. The third molars (“wisdom teeth“) have no preceding “baby” version and generally erupt in mid to late adolescence.
Signs Of Teething
When Baby starts teething, you’ll want to recognize the signs leading up to tooth eruption so that you can guide the process along, comfort baby and help reduce pain. Baby can’t tell you that something hurts, so you’ll be watching for the teething signs.
- Excessive Crying, Especially At Bed Time
- Chewing On Hands, Fingers, and Toys… And Everything
As the teeth try to emerge from one side, putting pressure on the opposite side can reduce the pressure and temporarily relieve pain. Baby will put anything in the mouth.
3. Fussiness
Baby may get upset with people, surroundings or things during this time and begin crying with no apparent cause.
- Raised, Red, Swollen. Gums
- White Specks Under Gums
- Ear-Tugging
- Drooling
- No Outward Signs At All
Teething Symptoms
In the signs section, we talked about what you may notice about your child’s appearance and behavior. Now let’s discuss symptoms that baby is experiencing.
Warning: Baby may not be his/her usual, adorable and playful self at least not all of the time.
1. Pain
The gums are very sore, and the sharp edges of teeth are pushing up out of the jaw and through the skin. The ears may feel stuffy, swollen and painful. The jaw aches and the gums feel swollen and sensitive.
2. Sore Gums
3. Insomnia
4. Fever generally low grade.
5. Irritability
Teething Remedies
While teething is a very natural process, some babies simply experience worse symptoms than others. As with all of Baby’s milestones, it’s helpful to have a caring adult around to support Baby through the process. Here are some remedies to help Baby through the process.
A) Pain relievers
Give Children’s Paracetamol, make sure the dose is approved by the pediatrician.
B) Cold wash cloth cold will help numb the pain.
c) Teething tablets and Teething Gel is not recommended for use.
FDA confirms elevated levels of belladonna in certain homeopathic teething products.
Few Teething Gel contains Benzocaine, a local anesthetic which can cause a rare but serious—and sometimes fatal—condition called methemoglobinemia, a disorder in which the amount of oxygen carried through the bloodstream is reduced.
To Help Relieve Teething Pain During The Day
Silicone teethers
Teething biscuits
Freezer pops – Puree and freeze fruit juice, pump and freeze breast milk into little handheld pops.Cold foods-Snacks like soothing cold yogurt and even ice cream (in small amounts).
Teething Toys
Baby’s teething and you’re on a mission to reduce the pain and keep Baby cheerful and bright. Teething toys can be a life saver for Baby and Mommy during this time. When Baby has clean and appropriate toys to chew on, Baby is less likely to chew on other dirty and dangerous household objects like keys and cabinets.
As Baby gets teeth, he/she’ll want to explore different textures so let’s talk about some amazing options.
- Silicone bracelets – Since baby wears the bracelet, it never gets lost.
- Wooden teething rings with cloth handles – Baby learns to grip and hold cloth while chewing on soft wood and leaving hundreds of cute, little bite marks that you’re so happy are not on the coffee table instead.
- Teething necklaces with bunched cloth – It’s easy for baby to twist the necklace around to find the perfect spot to gnaw.
- Teething necklaces with wooden rings – Wood is often one of Baby’s favorite substances to gnaw on. And if the wood becomes unsatisfying, Baby can just chew on the cloth necklace itself.
- Squeeze toys – Baby will love to chew and make squeaky sounds with baby-safe squeeze toys.
Amber necklaces – Necklaces made from real amber beads give Baby yet another texture to explore. Some people claim these are extremely effective, but always be cautious with putting something around Baby’s neck that could potentially be a strangulation hazard. Also be sure each bead is individually wrapped so there is no way one can break off and potentially be a choking hazard as well.
Caring For Baby Teeth
Let’s discuss how to care for Baby teeth, but first, we’ll share some statistics you need to know.
- More than 40 percent of children have caries by the time they reach kindergarten.
- Kids who get cavities in their primary teeth are more likely to get cavities in their permanent teeth.
- 20% of children 6-8 have cavities that go untreated.
Think that the primary teeth aren’t really that important since your child loses them anyway? You may be surprised to find that if a child loses a primary tooth too early, then the permanent tooth that replaces it will often come in maligned, which means that your child is more likely to need braces. Not to mention, primary teeth with decay can lead to pain, fevers, abscess, and even life-threatening infections if left untreated.
A child who learns early to care for teeth is more likely to have better overall health into adulthood.
Now, let’s talk about protecting those teeth.
Ages 0-1 Year :
Even before the teeth arrive, Baby will still have bacteria in the mouth that multiplies. Always wipe the gums with a clean, moist washcloth or folded gauze after each feeding.
Ages 1-2 Year :
By age 1, some of Baby’s teeth have fully emerged. It’s time to switch to a soft baby brush and no more than a rice-grain size speck of fluoride toothpaste. Brush teeth twice a day. Baby should not be left to brush his/her own teeth; they need to be closely supervised to assure that he/she isn’t swallowing too much toothpaste.
Ages 3 year + :
At this point, your child likely wants to be cleaning his/her own teeth independently. You can encourage this positive behavior by having them brush and you finish the process after. Children do not have the manual dexterity to effectively brush all surfaces of their teeth until about age 8-9. This is a task that should be shared with parents to ensure proper oral hygiene is being maintained.
A pea size amount of toothpaste is all they need at this stage. Brushing should be firm but gentle with a soft-bristle brush. Flossing should begin as soon as you cannot see space between each tooth.
