Baby and teeth
mummy~to~connor
When do children begin to get teeth?
Most children will get their first tooth between the age of 6 and 9
months. By the time they are 12 months old, most babies have the top
and bottom 4 front teeth. If no teeth have appeared by 12 months, a
dentist should be consulted.
The first molars appear at about one year and are the teeth that can
cause the most discomfort.
By two-and-a-half years, most children will have 20 milk or 'baby'
teeth. These teeth will be lost from 6 years of age to make way for
their permanent or adult teeth. The first of the permanent teeth to
appear are the lower first molars ('6-year-old molars'), followed
by the front (incisor) teeth.
What happens when a baby tooth breaks through?
The skin over the tooth will become red and swollen, and the gum may
feel hard. Some babies find this painful and uncomfortable.
Most babies have a compulsion to put their fists or objects into their
mouths to chew on and rub against their gums.
Teething problems
For some children teething also causes a loss of appetite, excessive
dribbling, loose bowel movements and/or skin rashes. The child may be
restless when awake, and have difficulty sleeping.
Treating the pain
To help reduce the pain associated with teething the following measures
may be useful.
Gently massage or press on your baby's gum with a clean, wet finger. If
this obviously upsets your child do not continue.
Give your baby something cold to suck or chew on. You can also buy
plastic teething rings which you cool and then give to your child to
chew on. Some yogurt or fruit straight from the fridge can also be
soothing.
Prevent skin rashes on the face by wiping away dribble with a clean
cloth and applying a protective barrier cream.
Some children are more susceptible to nappy rash when they are
teething. Change dirty nappies regularly, and wash the baby's skin well
after a bowel motion.
Rub a teething gel on to the gums if the child is very upset. Use as
directed on the packet. Teething gels can be bought over the counter at
your local pharmacy.
Occasionally, children may require paracetamol to control pain and/or
fever. Use strictly as directed on the bottle. Check with your doctor
or pharmacist before doing this.
When to see a doctor
Teething may cause your baby to be mildly off-colour but it does not
cause serious illness. Take your child to the doctor if your child has
a high temperature, diarrhoea, sore ears, is not drinking, or seems
unwell rather than just grizzly.