What is teething?
Teething occurs when the first set of teeth erupts from your baby’s gums. These are known as primary teeth or baby teeth. Since teeth are introduced into the baby’s life for the first time, it can be an exceptionally frustrating period, for both the babies as well as the parents.
Thus, new parents or expecting parents, need to know what to expect during teething, and how they can make the entire process less painful and more comforting for the baby.
Let us help you understand teething in a better light.
When does teething start?
Generally, teething can begin somewhere around 3 months after the baby is born. By the 4th or the 7th month, your baby’s gum lines grow and get ready to push out a new set of teeth. During this time, you can witness the eruption of your baby’s first tooth.
According to the studies provided by the American Academy of Paediatric Dentistry, parents need to approach the concept of teething, from a pragmatic perspective. This includes a set of pre-determined infant oral care guidelines, listed below:
- Conduct caries risk assessments.
- Anticipatory guidance on infant oral health.
- Preventive strategies.
- Dental care interventions (treatments).
Which are the first teeth to erupt?
Symptoms of Teething
According to our paediatric dental experts, listed below are some of the signs or symptoms of teething, you need to watch out for. Remember to consult the doctor if any of these symptoms advance.
Irritability:
When the teeth begin to erupt through the gums, they can cause discomfort and irritability to the child. This is prevalent, especially when the child’s first molars or other primary teeth erupt.
Skin Rashes/Drooling:
Did you know that teething can cause drooling too?
Yes. It’s true. Teething can stimulate drooling in babies. If babies drool excessively, then it can cause rashes around their mouth, cheek, chin, and neck areas. One of the main reasons for this skin rash is the active reaction between bacteria (saliva) and the skin.
Coughing:
Due to the excessive production of saliva, caused by teething, infants can often be susceptible to coughing or gagging. This is because the large amount of drool generated from the child’s mouth can drip back into the baby’s throat. This would force your infant to cough incessantly during teething.
Biting & Gnawing:
Children tend to bite or gnaw at things because they feel discomfort and pain in their gums. This is an extremely common side effect of teething. Thus, they bite or gnaw on practically anything, to alleviate the pressure and discomfort they feel from under the gums.
Low-Grade Fever:
Teething is a trying time in a child’s life. It forces them to go through various levels of discomfort and irritability. It also subjects them to low-grade fever. However, it is important to remain cautious about these fevers. If the infant’s temperature rises above 101 degrees, then you may need to contact the paediatrician immediately.
Ear Pulling & Cheek Rubbing:
Children who drool a lot tend to rub their cheeks or pull their ears when they feel high levels of discomfort from teething.
But how does this happen?
Well, the pain caused in the gum area of the child, travels back to the cheeks and ear. By rubbing those areas of the face, the pain becomes more aggravating and irritating for the children. Usually, they can be seen depicting this behaviour when their molars are erupting.
Diarrhoea:
Diarrhoea is another common symptom witnessed among children who are going through their teething phase. Since there is an increased production of saliva at this stage, it can automatically cause the stool to become slightly loose and watery. This can also expose your baby to the risk of dehydration.
Why Cold Symptoms Can Be Mistaken for Teething Symptoms?
According to the findings from the American Dental Association, teething begins at around six months of age. During this time, the infant loses the immunity they have received from their mother via the placenta. This is also the same time when the child’s immune system is becoming more pronounced and developed.
As the child builds their immunity and strength, they can easily become vulnerable to an assortment of minor infections.
The reason why cold symptoms are often misunderstood as teething symptoms is that both these major and pivotal changes are happening at the same time. As a result of this, parents can get often confused between these symptoms, and provide the wrong self-diagnosis for their infants.
Did you know that around 70% to 80% of parents mistake cold symptoms experienced by the child, for teething symptoms? (Source: British Dental Journal)
Thus, it is important to educate oneself on the fundamental signs of teething and cold/illnesses. This will allow you to draw a set of distinctive differences between the two terms and provide the appropriate treatment care for your child.
