What Does It Mean For Your Baby To Be Teething?
Teething is the process by which a baby’s first tooth emerges from its gums. Teething can be frustrating for parents and babies. It can be helpful to know what to expect and how to make teething less painful.
When Is The Best Age To Start Teething?
Before babies are born, baby teeth begin to form. The second trimester is when the tooth buds start to grow. After babies are born, their roots develop and the teeth push up until they reach the gums. Most babies will have 20 baby teeth by the age of three years.
Six months is the average age that teething begins. It’s normal for teething at any age, from three to twelve months.
What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Tooth Decay?
Each baby experiences teething differently. Some babies experience no symptoms while others feel a lot of pain.
These are some common symptoms that your baby may experience when teething:
- Drooling
- irritability
- Gum swelling or reddening
- ear rubbing
- Facial rash
- Mild temperature
- Sucking
- Biting
Are Teething Pains?
Teething is a normal process, but it can be painful for toddlers and infants.
How Can You Make Your Baby Feel More Comfortable During The Teething Process?
If your baby is having trouble with teething, there are things you can do.
- teething-chewing
- Give them something to chew, such as a rubber teething ring, or a washcloth that has been chilled in the fridge (not the freezer). Chewing can help relieve the pressure from the new teeth pressing upward.
- Gently rub your child’s gums using a clean finger, or a moist gauze pad.
- You can offer cold foods to your child if they are eating solids.
- They will be reassured and distracted by lots of extra cuddles and kisses.
These symptoms may not go away or appear to be getting worse. Please contact your pediatrician immediately. You might have something else going on.
How Can You Keep Your New Teeth Healthy?
Your child’s primary teeth are crucial for their future dental health. They help with proper chewing, eating, and speech development.
Roper dental care starts before your daughter gets her first tooth. To remove harmful bacteria, clean your daughter’s gums with a damp cloth or an infant toothbrush each day.
These are some tips to help your child’s teeth grow.
- Use an infant toothbrush to brush her teeth. Use water with a little toothpaste. Discuss fluoride with your kid’s dental doctor.
- You can floss between your baby’s teeth when they touch.
- Start teaching your daughter how to spit while she brushes when she is around age 2. Do not give your daughter water to swish or spit as she might swallow toothpaste
- Even babies can get tooth decay. A bottle of juice can cause tooth decay in babies who are put to bed with it. Sugars from formula, juice, and milk can leave a baby’s tooth enamel for hours, which protects it against decay. This can cause “bottle tooth decay” (or baby bottle tooth decay). The front teeth may become discolored, pocked, or pitted when this happens. Cavities can form, and in extreme cases, teeth may need to be pulled.
- Children can change from a baby bottle to a sippy mug when they are six months old. This prevents liquid from pooling around the child’s teeth.
How Can We Prevent Cavities?
Cavities are caused by bacteria and food that is left behind after eating. Cavities are formed when acid builds up on teeth, causing them to soften and eventually cause damage.
Here are some ways to keep cavities at bay:
Good oral hygiene habits should be established early. Children should be taught to floss and brush their teeth at least twice daily with fluoride toothpaste.
Fluoride is essential. Fluoride can make enamel harder to penetrate, so it is important to get enough. Some towns require that tap water be fluoridated. Others don’t. Ask your dentist to add fluoride to your water supply if it isn’t fluoridated. While toothpaste is often fluoride-rich, toothpaste alone won’t protect your child’s teeth. Too much fluoride can cause tooth decay. Before adding fluoride, consult your dentist.
Some foods should be avoided or limited. Sugary foods, juices, and candy, especially sticky gummy candy, vitamins, fruit leather, or “roll-ups”, can cause enamel erosion and cavities. To remove the sugar from your children’s teeth, make sure they brush their teeth and rinse their mouths after eating these foods. Take sweetened liquid medications as well. Make sure your children rinse and brush their teeth after they are finished.
The dentist can apply a thin layer of resin (called sealant) to your child’s back teeth as they grow. This will help prevent any decay. The protective coating prevents bacteria from getting into the difficult-to-reach molars. However, sealants should not be used as a substitute for regular flossing and a good brushing.
