- About baby teething
- When do the teeth arrive?
- Average stages
- Dribbling and Drooling
- What to do.
- Teething rings.
- Bibs
- Tooth decay.
- Pacifiers.
- Thumb sucking
- Toothpaste.
- When to be concerned?
About baby teething
A baby teething is something that completely mystifies me. It seems quite strange that a baby, who has a parent who can grind food for them and feed them various pureed foods, should need to grow any teeth until they are about 2 years of age. They are born with the tiny tooth buds in their gums and these begin to grow when they are a few months old, resulting in the most razor sharp little teeth somewhere about 6 months. In the meantime the baby seems to have coped incredibly well with gums which are rock hard and can inflict enormous pain to ones’ trapped finger, should you have made the mistake of letting them ‘gum’ on your hand.
However, nature for whatever reason sets off the ‘lets cut some teeth’ stage at about early 6 months. This must be dreadful for the baby. Any adult who can recall the wisdom teeth coming through knows it is a period of a constant ache and discomfort. Nature sends it own signal to Mum by ensuring the teething baby presents himself with bright red apple cheeks, dribbling and drooling, and seen to be gnawing anything and everything from each waking moment. Your baby, who cannot speak at this stage, has merely to endure this strange phenomenon of discomfort that is taking place and often is grizzly, grumpy and generally unhappy with every little thing in his life. If the baby had hair it could be best described as a bad hair day.
So why give them this problem so early? Surely they could wait a year or two? After all we have moved on since caveman days when gnawing on an old bone would be the most exciting thing in their food day? Today all the baby food manufacturers present endless menus of mushed beef, fish and vegetables in every form of cuisine a baby could wish for. And that is before you yourself have mastered the art of preparing miniature versions of your own dinners in carefully frozen ice cube portions in the freezer.
Anyway, regardless of my question as to the logic, babies begin their teething very early in life and it is a wise mother who researches all the information to help them understand how to help their baby through the continuous process.
Equally strange is the emotion a parent will feel when baby finally cuts their first tooth. It is like a rite of passage into ‘big baby’ category for your child. I shall never forget the experience of my daughter seizing my finger during her bathtime and placing it in her mouth when she gave me a sharp crunch of her gums. The first tooth broke through her bottom gum and emerged as a spiky, very pointy sharp needle, which promptly stabbed into my finger. It was very painful and whilst my baby looked extremely pleased and relieved in one expression, I for my part was ‘thrilled’ to have assisted in this difficult task of hers but was equally setting my mind into ‘I am not doing that again’ mode.
I have collected lots of information on this subject and hope some of the information below will help.
Carol Cotton – Perfectly Happy People
When do the teeth arrive?
Teething is the sequential appearance of baby teeth from those tiny teeth buds that first began to develop when they were still in the womb.
The process begins between four and nine months and most babies will have ‘cut’ their first tooth by their first birthday.
No two babies are the same and there are no hard and fast rules as to when they will begin teething. It is not unknown for a baby to be born with a tooth already and others can take up to 12 months to cut their first tooth.
If you are becoming impatient or are at all worried, it is worth bearing in mind that teething patterns do tend to be hereditary, so knowing when you and your partner began to cut your teeth may provide some clues.
Don’t worry if your baby does not fit the perfect teething format - the timings are not believed to be any indication whether the baby is developing well, either physically or mentally.
One should consider the following guide as broad indicator of when teeth may appear.
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Average stages
6 to 12 months – A pair of 2 incisor teeth appear in the middle of the bottom gum, quickly followed by a pair on the upper gum.. The bottom pair of teeth may arrive a couple of months before the corresponding top pair. The “Incisors” are sharp knifelike teeth that are used for cutting food. (Total 4 teeth – 2 up, 2 down)
9 to 16 months – 4 incisors emerge, with 1 appearing on each side of the bottom 2 centre teeth and 1 appearing on each side of the top 2 centre teeth, until your child has a total of 8 beautiful incisors. (Total 8 teeth, 4 up, 4 down)
At around 12 to 18 months - the first back molars emerge. 8 Pre-Molars appear for grinding food. They will probably appear somewhere between the 12th and 18th month. The Pre-Molars are 8 teeth in total. They used for grinding food Included in the 8 Pre-Molars are 2 canines. The Pre-Molars actually skip a space and then come in as 2 on each side of the bottom gum, and the remaining 2 as one on each side of the top incisors. The canines as the last to emerge on the top gum between the incisors and molars. (Total 16 teeth, 8 up, 8 down).
At around 20-24 months see the arrival of 4 Second molars. (Total 20 teeth, 10 up and 10 down)
It is not unusual for parents to believe that a host of ailments are indicators of teething, such as a temperature or fever (above 390c)
diarrhoea
convulsions
rash on the body
constipation
vomiting
coughing
runny nose
eczema
colic
These symptoms are more likely to be symptoms of viral or bacterial infection and would best be referred to a doctor for their opinion. Teething presents localised indictors of dribbling, drooling, chewing on everything, inflamed gums and flushed cheeks.
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Dribbling and Drooling
While your child is teething their gums will produce excess saliva. The saliva, which is produced during drooling, is to moisten and lubricate your baby’s tender gums. Drooling serves to help make the teething process more bearable for your child.
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What to do.
Firstly remember your baby will be going through some discomfort and a lot of cuddling and comforting will go a long way to reassure them.
Massage the gums. There are many ways to do this not least of which is to gently rub your clean fingers along their gums. You could use a Finger Toothbrush, made from pure silicone which slips over your finger and has gentle silicone brushes which help the massaging.
Another early stage toothbrush is the Baby’s First Toothbrush with a bumper guard to prevent you or your baby over inserting the brush into their moth. Made from pure silicone it has gentle soft silicone bristles to clean the gums
Soft knobbly surfaced teething rings are very useful to give a baby to massage their own gums and chew.
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Teething rings.
Babies will love to chew or bite on anything at this stage. There are a variety of teething rings and it is worth having a selection during teething as various types will help at varying stages. Your baby will be adept at using a teething ring that best helps. Try now to choose teethers, which are, designed more in a rod or stick shape as these can be over inserted. The word ‘ring’ gives you a clue as to the best shape for a baby to grasp and safely chew on.
Many toys are designed with teether rings and corners obviously in mind of the baby putting everything in their mouth for a chew.
Cold teether rings seem to bring extra relief. Chilled in the fridge they can be given to your baby to chew on. The coldness is often able to bring extra relief to you baby. Sometimes a cold spoon will do just as well.
Some foods seem perfect for teething - a carrot springs to mind. However, remember they may chew or bite off a piece, which could be a choking hazard. Try using a Baby Safe Feeder, which encloses the food in a net. Remember never to leave a child alone with food as they may choke, always remain with your child if they have a foodstuff present. Any foods given in this way should be sugar free. There is no point solving one problem and causing another. Biscuits largely have a high sugar content and can lead to tooth decay.
Teether gels exist too. Ask your local pharmacists for their recommended gel. There are also homeopathic gels available. Check for ones which are sugar- free and colour-free. Check the dosage instructions carefully and abide by the expiry date.
NB. Do remember to sterilise your baby’s’ teethers regularly, preferably daily!
Check the teether to ensure they are made from non-toxic materials. If unsure, you can always check with the manufacturer. Teething Rings that are non-toxic cannot cause harm if ingested with your baby’s saliva.
Bibs
Essential throughout teething! Your baby produces an excessive amount of saliva at this stage. The saliva can gather and dribble down their chin and neck causing chaffing and discomfort. It also wets their clothing at the neckline and can possibly cause them to catch a chill. Lots of bibs are ideal, preferably waterproof or with terry towel backing to absorb the wetness.
Tooth decay.
Having gone through all the effort to cut the teeth it is very important that you ensure there is little chance of your inadvertently causing their tooth decay.
Just like an adult’s mouth, a baby’s mouth is full of bacteria. These bacteria feed on sugars found in the liquids we drink and in the foods we eat. Ungrateful hosts, these bacteria produce acid as a by-product of their feasting. It is this acid that attacks the tooth enamel and causes cavities.
Sugar present in the fluid continually nourishes the bacteria that are in the baby’s mouth. Using this constant source of sugar, bacteria multiply and create a steady stream of tooth damaging acid. Night after night of acid attack results in cavity formation and extensive tooth decay. In some cases, the entire tooth can be eaten away by bacterially produced acid.
It is especially important to be vigilant against baby bottle tooth decay because baby teeth are more susceptible to tooth decay than adult teeth.
Babies seem to want more liquids during teething; a good tip is to follow up their milk or sugar free juice with some plain water. Even milk contains a sugar called lactose which bacteria can also use to create acid.
Pacifiers.
Never elegant but sometimes necessary for comfort. It is known some parents dip the pacifier in honey or other sweet substances before giving it to their baby. This is completely unnecessary and is a major cause of tooth decay. If your baby settles with a pacifier then do remember to sterilise it frequently. Pacifiers are governed by a wealth of British standards to ensure the safety of their design. We recommend that you avoid gimmicks and always purchase a good reliable well-known brand of a UK manufacturer or distributor o be on the safe side.
Using a pacifier is quite common for small children and should not be a big concern for parents, as they begin to communicate so you too can encourage them to manage without their pacifier. Explaining things simply to a small child is often the best way for them to wean away from their pacifier and are the most effective way to get them to stop.
Constantly check the pacifier, especially the nipple end, to make sure that it has not become brittle. Brittle nipples can break and choke your child. Also, never tie a pacifier around your child’s neck as this can create a strangulation danger.
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Thumb sucking
Scratch mitts are an early way to deter thumb sucking. The use of a pacifier can also replace the need to thumb suck. Weaning a child off thumb sucking is particularly difficult due to the ever-present convenience of the thumb. Gentle discouragement is the best method as well as rewards when your child improves in desisting from their habit.
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Toothpaste.
This topic is constantly changing with various expert opinions. We feel it is best to avoid toothpaste at any stage of an early baby’s tooth production. Avoid sugary foods and use frequent ‘water only’ drinks to let the mouth cleanse away any residual milk or juice. Check with you health visitor for the best source of information on toothpaste.
Dental visits. – The first visit should be around the 1st birthday. Your dentist will check the development of the baby’s teeth and will also recommend professional advice. Professional advice is always the best you can be given. Listening to friends and older relatives is helpful but on such an important issue listen to the dentist. It will also help your baby to become accustomed to the dentist and their oral examination. This early introduction of the dentist in their lives can save many complications later.
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When to be concerned?
If by the end of the first year you still don’t see any sign of a tooth appearing, bring the matter up at your child’s 12-month check-up. (Premature babies may be a few months behind in getting their teeth.) If your child has all the signs of teething — heavy drooling, swollen gums — but also seems to be having unusual pain (crying inconsolably is a big clue), call his doctor. Teething shouldn’t be an excruciating ordeal for a baby.
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