Teething and Baby Teeth

Teething is a big problem and a difficult time for both the parents specially the mother and the child.

Teething can be an uncomfortable time for some babies. As the teeth begin to emerge, they can cause the gums to become swollen and sore.In some cases of hard teething ,an abscess might appear at the top of the tooth. This can lead to other problems such as irritability, an inability to sleep and an unwillingness to eat food because of the pain.

Once those teeth start to appear, some babies want to bite down on everything they can get hold of – including mum and dad’s fingers a lot of the time! because his gum is hurting him.

Every baby start teething at a different time and it lasts for different periods. So there is no manual you can consult to make everything go smoothly! Most babies develop their first teeth between the ages of 5 and 9 months old. However, your child may not have a complete set of teeth until he reachs the age of three. The lower middle teeth usually appear first, followed by the upper middle teeth, then the teeth along the sides of the mouth and the back, the lower always erupts before the upper.

What is teething ?

Teething is the development of milk or deciduous teeth in children. These teeth are actually developed and in place inside the gums before the child is born. 

Time and Sequence of teething

When the child is between 5 and 9 months old, these first teeth begin to emerge. Some childern may develop teeth when they are six months old, while others may not develop teeth until a year has passed. In very rare cases, babies can be born with one or more teeth. If, however, the teeth affect the baby’s ability to feed or there is a danger of swallowing the tooth, these teeth may have to be remove.
The emergence of new teeth can be accompanied by irritation, and this period can be frustrating for both parents and babies. 

The first tooth normally emerges at the front of the bottom jaw, with the central incisors that are located at the top front following soon after. After this, the lateral incisors at the top and bottom on either side emerge. On an average, a baby can expect to have around 8 teeth by the age of one, and may have 20 baby teeth or a complete set at 30 months old. 

Symptoms of teething

The common symptoms are:

• Excessive drooling.
• Inability to sleep.
• Change ,and some times loss of appetite.
• Fussiness and irritability.
• Flush cheeks.
• Nappy rash.
• Inflamed gums or sensitive gums.
• Chewing or biting behaviour.

Many parents claim that the teething process is accompanied by diarrhea and fever, but many dentists don’t agree that these symptoms have anything to do with teething.

If your baby does have a high temperature or diarrhea, consult your pediatrician.

Treatment for teething

Not all children suffer from symptoms of teething, and many kids go through the process with no signs of discomfort at all.

If your child does suffer from discomfort due to teething.

• Your dentist will recommend an infant teething gel that has to be rubbed on the gums. These gels contain a mild local anesthetic that removes the discomfort.
• A teething ring can also help to sooth a teething baby’s inflamed gums. For best results, chill the teething ring in the freezer. 
• You can also offer something hard but edible for baby to chew on, like hard biscuits or carrots. These however, should only be given under complete supervision because of the risk of choking. 
• Paracetamol suspensions can also dull the discomfort. 

Hygiene for baby teeth

Dental care for the baby must begin before the eruption of the first milk tooth.

• Clean  the gums of the baby with a piece of gauze  wet with a little water daily. 
• When the first teeth emerge,clean them by wiping them after meals with a soft damp cloth.   Remember, no toothpaste should be used for infants. Once all the milk teeth have emerged, make a habit of brushing the teeth twice daily. At first start brushing the teeth of your child with soft brush without tooth past ,until he can rinse and control his swallowing for not swallowing the tooth paste .Notice 
  A fluoride toothpaste can be used once the child becomes mature enough to spit out the paste. Use small quantities of tooth paste, and never allow your child to swallow it or eat it.
     
• Avoid letting your baby go to sleep with a bottle of milk or juice in his mouth, to avoid tooth decay. 
• Cut down the amount of sugar that your baby consumes, or restrict these to meal times. Never use sweets as treats. Milk should be given without sugar. 
• Limit sodas and other fizzy drinks, and make a habit of using medicines that are  sugar free. 

The role of parents during teething

For parents, the task during teething is twofold.
First : they need to be able to comfort their child and find ways to relieve the discomfort when it is at its worst.
Second : they need to ensure that the child is getting into good oral hygiene habits early in life. Until they are old enough to brush their teeth themselves, you will ensure that your child’s teeth and gums keep healthy and are well looked-after.
Once the teeth have arrived, you need to look after them. For the first year, brushing teeth is not necessary. However, the gums and mouth still need to be kept clean – this should be done by wiping them after meals with a soft damp cloth. 

As well as teaching your child how to brush their teeth, you should also ensure that you are taking care of their diet to encourage good oral health. As much as possible, you should avoid giving them too many sugary foods or drinks, as these can rot the teeth. You should also ensure that your baby is not allowed to take a bottle of milk to bed. Milk contains sugars which can rot the teeth – so drinking milk right before sleeping means that these sugars have all night to attack the newly emerged teeth. Some babies find it helps to have something to chew on and there are lots of teething toys available that are safe. Cooling foodstuffs, like yoghurt, can sometimes help too.


The task of parents during the teething Important and doubled .

First : They must be able to comfort the child and find ways to ease discomfort and pain when it is at its worst.

Second : parents must follow the style of oral hygiene as mentioned above, and depending on the presence of teeth and the age of the child.

Third : parents must make sure that the child had learned habits of good oral hygiene and teeth.Fourth : give more attention for nutrition and child's health and teaching him the proper eating habits. 

Thanks
MR