We brief you about teething in babies, signs of teething, remedies to ease your baby’s pain, and when you should call a doctor.
Do you know that babies’ tooth buds develop before they’re born? As these buds “cut” through the gums, teeth usually appear in the following order:
• 6 to 12 months: the central incisors (the teeth right in the middle of the jaw on the top and bottom)
• 9 to 12 months: the lateral incisors (the teeth next to the central incisors)
• 16 to 22 months: canine (cuspids)
• 13 to 19 months: the first molars
• 25 to 33 months: the second molars
Most children have all of their primary teeth by age three.
The process of getting these teeth can be effortless or excruciating depending on your baby. Even with minor cases, most babies show some teething symptoms.
The tricky thing about teething is that symptoms can start 2 to 3 months before tooth surfaces! This can be brutal for baby and family if there’s a lot of discomforts.
The key is to look for these seven teething symptoms
• Biting more than usual
This teething symptom Wii turn your baby into a vampire! Bite, bite, bite on anything from plastic spoons, to toys to your breast! I find that Griffin likes hard plastic things to chew on the best. Of course, there are a plethora of teething toys on the market which may also help.
• Excessive drool
When babies are still newborns, they drool a ton since they’re still learning how to swallow their saliva. Fast forward to teething, the drooling starts again (or never stops in some cases) because the body creates extra saliva to lubricate the tender and bulging gums.
• Fussier than usual, especially at night
These teething symptoms make babies who once slept through the night start to wake up several times for comfort. In the quiet hours of the night, a baby often feels the teething pain more because there are fewer distractions.
• Disturbances in sleep patterns
Because of the teething discomfort, babies will usually nap less and wake up earlier in the morning. Fun times for all involved with these teething symptoms!
• Fever, rashes, cough, and diarrhea
although some doctors disagree, many mamas detect a slight fever (under 100 degrees) in their babies when teeth are imminent. Additionally, the extra drool can cause facial rashes, chafing, and coughing since it pools at the back of the throat. Some babies even develop diaper rash and diarrhea.
• Decreased appetite
When babies are in pain, they generally don’t want to eat, especially since it triggers their sore spots. Keep trying to feed them as much as possible despite the resistance. Call your doctor if their caloric input decreases dramatically.
• Pulling of ears and rubbing of chin and cheeks
Babies can be quite resourceful and administer self-massage. By pulling and rubbing around their jaw, they create counter pressure that eases some of the pain and throbbing.
Remedies To Soothe Your Baby’s Teething Pain
It is agonizing for you to see your baby in pain. Therefore, help them get some relief with these remedies:
• Wet soft cloth to chew on: Give your child clean, wet, cool washcloth to chew on. Cold objects ease the pain and reduce the urge to chew. If your baby doesn’t like cold things, give a regular teether at room temperature.
• Teethers: You can give your child frozen teething rings, as the texture massages the gums and the chillness numbs the pain. However, do not give them extremely cold objects as they can aggravate their discomfort.
• Frozen foods and popsicles: If your baby is on solids, give mesh teethers with frozen foods inside. Don’t give baby foods that pose a choking hazard. It is a good idea to give popsicles to toddlers.
• Massage: You can gently massage your baby’s gums with a clean finger or cold teething ring. It will soothe the pain. The babies might resist it, so impress them with some tactics.
• Pain reliever: Give acetaminophen or ibuprofen for infants above six months of age to reduce the pain. However, do it only if your doctor prescribes the medicine.
Note: You should not give aspirin to babies younger than 20 months as it is associated with Reye syndrome which is a rare but severe disease.
• Distract the little one: Give your baby a new toy, and spend more quality time with them. Do anything that could distract their mind from the pain.
• Give them extra love: No matter how ill your baby is, all they sometimes need is those extra hugs, cuddles, and kisses. Your warmth can work like magic.
• Solid foods such as cereal mix, yogurt, applesauce also reduce the pain. Teething causes bleeding of gums, and there can be a bluish lump in the mouth. You need not worry about it; just use a cool wet cloth to reduce the effect.