Babies & Teething
The emergence of your baby’s first tooth is definitely a milestone in their development. In this article, we will cover a rough timeline of when you should expect teeth to appear in your child and some tips for dealing with teething pain or discomfort. Not all children get their teeth at the same time. Some get their first tooth as early as two or three months, while some don’t get their first tooth until almost a year; som are even born with a few teeth! If your child is born with any teeth that aren’t very firmly rooted in the gum, your dentist will likely remove them to reduce the risk of choking and death.
While there is a lot of variability in the timing of the tooth emergence, the order of tooth emergence is typically very similar, if not the same, all across the board. The typical order of emergence is as follows:
Top and bottom incisors, lateral incisors, first molars, then the canines, and finally the second molars. If any of these teeth fail to come in, a pediatric dentist will usually intervene.
Call Genuine Family Dentistry at (714)-282-9131 for more information or to schedule an appointment today.
Signs of Teething
With such a wide time range for the emergency of your child’s primary teeth, it can be difficult to actually determine if your little one is simply upset and needs a diaper change or if they are beginning the teething process. Common signs of teething include:
- Increased or excessive drooling
- Pickiness or refusal to eat foods they previously enjoyed due to gum discomfort
- Inability to sleep through the night due to gum pain
- Increased and inexplicable irritability and fussiness
- Mild rash in the mouth area
The following are NOT symptoms of teething:
- Full body rash
- Incessant irritability and crankiness
- High fever
- Diarrhea
By using these guidelines, it is easy to check to tell if your child if currently teething.
What Should You Do?
- Chill Out: Give your child a cool washcloth to gnaw on. The cold cloth will help numb the pain. Be sure to make sure it isn’t ice cold or frozen as prolonged oral exposure to cold can be damaging to infants.
- Rub the Gum: The pressure generated from gently rubbing your child’s mouth with a clean finger or washcloth can help alleviate some pain.
- Start with Solids: Let your child chew on something like a fresh vegetable to keep them occupied and help with the teething process. Keep close watch on them so they do not choke on any small pieces.
- Try an OTC option: If all of these other methods fail, you can try giving your child a small dose of Advil or other OTC pain medication to alleviate their discomfort.
Why Choose Genuine Family Dentistry?
Here at Genuine Family Dentistry, we are dedicated to providing exceptional service and outstanding oral health for your entire family. We provide a wide range of dental services that are available to people of all ages from all walks of life. You can reach us at (714)-282-9131 for more information or to schedule an appointment today. We look forward to hearing from you and helping you with all of your dental needs.
