Every parent knows that the time during which his or her child starts teething is going to be interesting. Your baby will likely have some rough nights, which means that you will too. With these tips, you can hopefully manage to relieve some of your child's discomfort and make the teething process as smooth as possible.
When does teething start?
Most babies will start to feel their baby teeth emerging when they are around six months old. Even so, if your baby is a year old and is still not teething, do not panic . Some babies are just late bloomers! Also, the baby teeth usually start to appear in a pattern of sorts. First, you will probably notice the bottom front teeth, followed closely by the top front teeth. The molars are the last to appear. In total, there should be 20 baby teeth when all is said and done, 10 in the upper palate and 10 in the bottom, and at this point,your baby will probably be in the middle of the terrible two's.
What makes a good teething ring?
You may be wondering what you should give your baby when the teething begins. While each little guy or girl is unique, there are some things that seem to work across the board (and things that your child's dentist won't stress about).
For instance, try a solid teething ring made of rubber. You do not want to use anything that is made of plastic, since it can be a choking hazard if broken, or anything that is filled with liquid due to the potential for punctures and spillage. In addition, if your son or daughter is taking to the bottle, you can have them bite on the nipple. It's ok to fill the bottle with water but try to avoid milk or juice as a teething comfort due to the sugar content.
Pain Relief
If your baby is in a lot of pain and distress, you can do a few things to ease the discomfort. First, you can try rubbing their gums with a wet washcloth. Be very gentle and use cool water to dampen the washcloth. Another option is to use some baby pain relief, usually in the form of a topical analgesic gel, that you can rub on your baby's gums. Throughout all of this, it is important to continue feeding your baby nutritious foods. Try offering smooth foods, such as yogurt and applesauce. .
Speak with a pediatric dentist like A Wild Smile to learn more.
Share11 February 2016
Toddlers should see a dentist for the first time by the age of twelve months or by the time their first tooth comes in. But if you are a parent with toddlers anything like mine, the prospect of going to the dentist (let alone anywhere!) can be pretty intimidating. My kids were a handful growing up. They had tantrums any time we would have to sit in a waiting room, and they refused to get in the dentist's chair during their first few visits. So, I had to employ a professional to help me make the transition to finally getting them in that dental chair without all the screaming and crying. I know I'm not the only parent in this situation, so I decided to share the information I've learned with others who can use a little help. You can find all my advice right here on these pages!