How to Help Babies When they start having Teething Troubles

Young kids start facing teething problems when their teeth start coming. The first tooth can make your child a little uncomfortable. So parents need to know about all the teething troubles so that they can help their child get through this easily. Teething is the process by which a baby's teeth erupt or break through the gums. Teething generally occurs between 6 to 24 months.

How long teething lasts?

Most of the babies start having their first teeth between 4-7 months and this process of teething goes on till 3 years of age. When the baby turns 3 he will be having his complete set of milk teeth. Not every child needs to complete their teething process at the age of 3. Some kids may have late teething and complete their teething process late.

Symptoms of Teething

Not all babies need to have all these symptoms

• Swollen or tender gums.

• Fussiness or crying.

• A slightly raised temperature.

• Gnawing or wanting to chew something hard.

• Lots of drool.

• Change in eating or sleeping pattern.

Teething can be painful and will cause discomfort but teething doesn't make the baby sick. Contact your doctor if your baby has diarrhoea, vomiting, rashes, high fever or cough, and congestion. All these are not symptoms of teething.

Order of Tooth Eruption in Babies

The general order for the eruption of teeth in babies is:

Central incisors: 6-12 months of age

Lateral incisors: 9-16 months of age

Canine teeth: 16-23 month of age

First molars: 13-19 months of age

Second molars: 22-24 months of age

What can you do to reduce teething pain and discomfort

The pain can't be reduced permanently but it can be reduced temporarily by taking some remedies and tricks.

• Rub clean finger over your baby's sore gums to ease the pain.

• Give your baby frozen teething rings.

• Massage sore gums of your baby with something cold occasionally.

• Make your first dental appointment when his first tooth appears.

• Give your child a soft, wet and cold cloth to chew.

• Distract your child by showing them songs, videos or playing games with them.

• Show them some extra love and care while they are in pain.

• Cooking mushier food which needs less chewing.

How to take care of your baby's first teeth

• Start before baby's teeth come in - start cleaning your child's mouth even before her teeth comes in, clean his gums with a wet and warm cloth after every feeding.

• Don't put your baby at sleep with a bottle of milk or juice. This can lead to cavities 

• Brush your baby's teeth regularly and make sure that the brush you use should be soft and should have a small head.

• Use only water with the toothbrush till your baby is 18 months old or until your dentist suggests you to use toothpaste.

• Brush his teeth with toothpaste after 2 years.

Give your baby proper care and love during his teething process. If you find something uncertain then contact your dentist immediately and before taking any step or before following any remedy consult them first. You should take proper care of your baby's first teeth and clean them regularly.