Everything you needed to know about Teething in a baby

Teething in babies, a natural process begins 2 months after conception, with most babies having 20 teeth formed deep within their jaws bones at birth. The rate of growth of teeth depends on genetics, with surprisingly some babies having e 1 or 2 teeth at birth. Known as natal teeth they may be loose or firmly set in the gums, with a loose tooth calling for extraction to provide relief.

Teeth in most children appear around the 6th month, with some not cutting teeth till their first birthday; a visit to the dentist could reassure you that your baby’s teeth are present in his jaw and will emerge in their own time.

Baby teeth play an important role in holding the permanent teeth in the right place and position; their important role in the development of the baby’s speech and ability to chew food can also not be over-looked. The order of milk tooth growth of molars before the canines could make the baby’s smile have gaps before he/she gets an even set of teeth.

Know the stages of teething: 

Recognize, support and make your child comfortable though the teething process. During erupting or pre-teething the baby’s teeth is slowly rising from the bones in the jaw; this sign could be mistaken for the baby being tired and hungry as there is no physical sign except for a raised bump along the gum line or cutting tooth. Understand that your baby is experiencing pain and is neither a cranky or picky eater. Occurring between birth and 6 months, care lies in oral care and hygiene by cleaning the baby’s gum with a damp washcloth each day.

Commonly addressed as the next stage of teething, teeth make their physical appearance with a mountain of inflamed little gum line cutting and rising. Most children experience pain and avoid eating certain foods, textures, flavors and/or temperatures until the torn skin in the oral cavity is healing around the tooth. Occurring between 7 to 12 months when the front teeth or incisors erupt and the permanent teeth are starting to form underneath the gums, continue wiping your baby’s gums with a washcloth and then introduce brushing the teeth with a soft and small toothbrush and water.

The primary and secondary molars erupt between 13 and 30 months and could cause discomfort. Continue using a small toothbrush with toothpaste about the size of a water droplet and brush his/her teeth twice a day.

Your baby during teething could be:

• Cranky and Irritable

• Difficulty in sleeping

• Running nose along with slight fever

• Diarrhea

• Could be drooling

• Chewing or sometimes refusing to chew anything at all.

• Staying close to mummy, daddy or caregiver to seek comfort.

• Refusal to eat food or having a poor appetite.

• Avoiding breastfeeding, as sucking is painful for teething gums.

• Red, swollen cheeks and /gums

• Tendency to bite.

Avoid giving your baby these foods while teething:

Keep your baby comfortable by not giving foods that cause pain or discomfort with burns and stings by contact with the torn skin and erupted teeth while healing.

Avoid these foods: 

• Citrus foods that include tomatoes and tomato sauce.

• Foods that is spicy or salty.

• Frozen teeters or foods; these foods could cause the nerve endings to zing, whereas items of cool temperature or chilled can help soothe sore gums without overloading their sensory system.

• Foods that are hard to chew

Help your child through the teething process by offering softer foods, such as, ground meats, rice, over steamed vegetables that decrease your child’s work load. This would help meets your child’s needs and sets your child up for eating once the skin around the teeth has healed.

Happy, Healthy Teething!