Teething Children
Teething Children : Finding Relief
The Process
Well before most babies cut their first tooth, a marked increase in drooling and putting things in their mouth usually occurs around the second month. This extra saliva generally signals that your child’s salivary glands are preparing for an upcoming diet of solid foods.
On average, the first teeth don’t start breaking through until around 6 to 10 months, although its not uncommon for many babies to not even see teeth until after their first birthday. If your child is late in the game with tooth development, check out this article about the average timeline of baby teeth coming in. While some children are not affected by teething, for man its a miserable, uncomfortable experience. Crying and irritability, excessive drooling, inflamed gums and even a mild fever are some of the more common symptoms that can affect a baby’s sleeping and eating habits and alter their temperament.
Remedies and Relief
Most babies with find comfort in putting anything within reach in their mouth, this supplies the pressure to soothe the aching gums. You can help by
- giving your child something to chew on, such as a cold, damp washcloth or firm rubber teething toy that has been chilled in the refigerator
- by gently massaging their gums with your finger
- placing a wet toothbrush in the freezer for a few minutes
- supplementing with over-the-counter medications to relieve the pain
- topical numbing gels
Always consult with your dentist or physician on dosages relative to your baby’s weight before deciding to use teething tablets or gels. Avoid remedies that include benzocaine, the FDA reports problems with this in children under 2 years of age. Once the teeth are in, you might want to check out our Baby Teeth – How do I take care of them? article.
Do you have additional ideas that worked for you? Share your ideas in the comments below.