Teething Meaning

Teething is the process through which a tot’s teeth erupt through his/her gum. The process is also referred to as “cutting” of the teeth.  Medically, teething is called odontiasis.

When do Babies Start Teething

The teething symptoms start way before the tooth starts to erupt. A baby’s first tooth can be seen between 4-10 months, but the first tooth usually comes up at the age of six months. Dentists have learned that there are three types of families when it comes to tooth cutting. The three groups are “early,” “average,” and “late” teethers.

There is also the rare case of the “natal” tooth of the kids born with one  tooth.The malformed tooth has nothing to do with the sanity of the child. The natal tooth is rarely a symptom of other physical findings of a syndrome.  In case there is a possibility of a syndrome, it is advisable to seek advice from a dentist paediatrician geneticist. The tooth is normally loose, and it is removed before the newborn leaves the hospital to avoid the aspiration risk to the lungs.

Common Teething Symptoms

Your baby does not know how to explain how they are feeling. So how do you know if he/she is in the teething process? Here are signs of teething;

1.Excessive Drooling

When tots are still newborns, they are still learning how to swallow their saliva. When they are about to start teething, the drooling becomes more excessive. During the process, the baby’s body produces more saliva to lubricate their tender and bulging gums.

When this starts to happen, fasten a bib to keep the kid warm and clean. Also, keep wiping his/her chin during the day.

2. Teething rash

After the drooling process has begun, the drip may cause redness, chapping, rashes and chafing around her neck, mouth,  sore gums and chin. Ensure you pat it away to prevent her skin from taking the hit.

You can go a step ahead by creating a barrier between the skin and the excessive saliva through the application of Aquaphor or Vaseline and moisturize it with an unscented skin cream. Additionally, use some nursing cream on hand to protect the delicate skin of the baby.

3. Coughing/Gag reflex

With the mouthful of spit, your baby is likely to gag or cough. However, if she does not show any symptoms of cold, flu or allergies; there is no need to worry.

4. Biting

Well, if you are breastfeeding, this is not a good time for you too. Due to the pressure of the poking under the gums, the baby tries to relieve the discomfort through biting. This means you will have sore nipples and fingers too. You will realize the baby is biting multiple things around the house.

5. Crying

Teething for the front tooth is always the most painful one because they are bigger, just like the molars. The baby is likely to feel the pain at night when there are fewer distractions triggering their fuss. Talk to your doctor for pain relievers if you suspect the pain is unbearable. Eventually, they get used to how teething feels like.

6. Irritability

The poking of the underneath teeth may cause the baby irritability making them fuse. For some kids, the irritability lasts for a few hours while in other cases it takes days or weeks to disappear.

7. Refusing to eat

Normally nursing babies calm them down regardless of the problems they may be going through. However, things may change during the teething process. As a result of the irritation they may be feeling; they are likely to avoid nursing. This can be frustrating for them because the pain and hunger stays. Those eating solid foods may also strike for the same reasons. If the strike lasts for longer than a few days, it’s time to visit the paediatrician.

8. Disturbed Sleep

The teething pain does not know the difference of day or night, so you should expect trouble at night. If the baby starts crying at night, wait to see if they can get back to sleep by themselves before comforting them. If the crying persists, soothe  them with a lullaby of patting them on their back.

PS: Do not go back to nursing them at night if you had stopped; you will regret it after the phase is over.

9. Ear pulling and cheek rubbing

Teething babies may rub their cheeks and ears. This is because gums, ears, and chins share nerve ways meaning pain in the gum can be felt in other parts as well.

Baby Teething fever

Whether or not teething causes fever is something that doctors and mothers are yet to conclude. Experts have observed a rise in fever especially when the first tooth is popping. However, it is just a low-grade fever and not a high fever. Parents are advised not to blame their kids fever on teething as she/he may be suffering from another illness. When you observe the body temperature of the child is abnormal, seek medical assistance.

When should my child see the dentist?

The American Academy of Paediatrics and the American Dental Association; advise  you start dental visits when your kid is one year old. The latest age should be three years old. Staining of the teeth, unusual changes of the gums, oral malformations, trauma IQ and dental pain warrant an immediate dentist visit if a parent notices them. If you have already enrolled your kid in a kindergarten programme, you may consider letting them stay at home to observe them. Pediatric dentistry may also be required if the teething pain is unbearable. You may consider taking dental health quiz before a dental visit to see if there is anything to worry about.

Home Teething Remedies

Rub your baby’s gums. You can use a clean finger or moistened gauze pad to rub the tot’s gums. That pressure eases his/her discomfort.

Keep it cool. A cold spoon, chilled ring or cloth can be comforting to the child’s gums. All the same, don’t give them a frozen ring; extreme cold can be harmful to a baby’s health.

Offer a teething ring. The best teething toys is one made of rubber. The fluid inside may break under the pressure of biting. If a bottle seems to soothe your kid’s pain fill it with water. Contact with juice, milk, or sugar from the formula can lead to tooth decay. Preventing tooth eruption is vital even when the baby is teething.

Try hard foods. If the tot is already consuming solid foods, offer them something hard like carrot or cucumber. Be sure to watch them because broken pieces may choke them.

Try an over-the-counter remedy. If your tot is cranky, you may consider ibuprofen (Advil, Children’s Motrin, others) or acetaminophen (Tylenol, others). Avoid teething medications with benzocaine. The latter is associated with methemoglobinemia.

Is Dentinox Teething Gel Safe for Babies?

The dentinox teething gel can be used for kids of age five and above. It is important to go through the ingredients of the product to ensure your child is not allergic to any of them. For example, the sorbitol in the gel is not suitable for kids with hereditary problems like  fructose intolerance.

Wrapping up

Kids are adorable creatures, and we all celebrate with joy every milestone of their lives. Some processes can, however, be very stressful such as the teething process. It gets easier when you understand how the body of a baby operates and the possible remedies for the teething pain.

When the teething process is over, its is time to find a preschool programme for your toddler. Ensure you find one that suits all their needs for a comfortable development.

Remember it is not too early to start training your child about dental health especially oral hygiene.