Teething Times: Nothing but the Tooth
Your baby was born with a set of 20 teeth hidden in her jaw, and at around six months of age she’ll start to be painfully aware of them.
Looking after a baby who is cutting teeth can be a real nightmare. It’s amazing how one little white thing poking through a gum can throw everything into chaos: Suddenly you’ve got a grizzly, dribbly little person who needs round-the clock attention. Of course, teething isn’t always troublesome – everyone knows someone whose baby cut her first teeth without so much as a whimper – but most babies go through a period of being uncomfortable and grumpy when they’re cutting their pearly whites. The good news is that teething is usually relatively short-lived and you can do plenty to soothe the pain.
Spotting the signs of teething
Common signs of teething include irritability, drooling, chewing, crying, swollen red and bumpy gums, and seeing the whiteness of a tooth through the gum.
Talk to a group of parents, however, and the list of symptoms associated with teething is likely also to include red cheeks, fever, ear-pulling, going off food, diarrhoea, and nappy rash.
The experts aren’t so sure. Although irritability, drooling, and chewing are certainly associated with teething, teething is unlikely to cause fever, earpulling, and diarrhoea.
Parents often blame teething for all sorts of symptoms that are actually more likely to be signs that your baby is ill. At six months of age, when the first tooth often comes through, your baby also starts to lose the immunity you passed on when you were pregnant and may come down with colds and tummy bugs more easily.
Beware of mistaking something more serious for teething. If your baby has a fever or diarrhoea and screams constantly, see the doctor.
Nipping teething pain in the bud
Finding the best way of soothing your baby’s teething pain normally involves a bit of trial and error. Here are a few things to try:
- Give your baby something cool and hard to chew. Most babies love to chomp when they’re teething, and something cold to chew on is especially good. A teething ring that you can put in the fridge is ideal – but don’t put the ring in the freezer, as this can damage the gums. Or try giving your baby cold carrot sticks or apple rings to chew on – never leave your baby alone with these, however, as they pose a choking risk.
- If your baby’s dribbling a lot, use a bib to soak up the drool and put petroleum jelly on her chin to stop it becoming sore.
- Distraction can take your baby’s mind off teething. Take her for a walk, read her a story, and give her plenty of cuddles to reassure her.
- Your local pharmacist can help. Look for sugar-free teething biscuits and teething gels that numb the gum. You can also try homeopathic teething granules.
As soon as the first tooth appears, you’ll need to start regular brushing every morning and bedtime with a baby toothbrush.
Posted in Children's Health
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