Teething is the natural
process during which your baby’s teeth start to
grow in. It can start as early as 3 months or as late
as 12 months. Typically, new teeth appear somewhere
between 6 and 9 months. It can take up to several years
for all 20 milk teeth to appear. Those 20 teeth are
all there but buried in the gums. During teething, the
new teeth slowly slide and twist their way through gum
tissue and this can hurt. Some of the signs of teething
are:
Increased drooling
Restless or disrupted sleeping
Refusal of food
Fretting that comes and goes
Chewing fingers and hands
Mild rash around the mouth
Loose stools and mild diaper rash
How to help your baby when teething is causing pain
and discomfort:
Wipe your baby’s face often with a cloth to
remove the drool and prevent rashes from developing.
Place a drool-absorbing cotton cloth under the chin
while your baby sleeps. Lubricate with a mild emollient
in the sensitive area to form a barrier against the
drool.
Give your baby something to chew on. It should be
big enough so it cannot be swallowed and strong enough
so it cannot break into smaller pieces. You can freeze
a wet washcloth for 30 minutes before giving it to
your baby or use a teething ring that can be cooled
in the fridge first or specially designed toys with
textures or even a frozen bagel, a popsicle or a cold
spoon.
Gently rub your baby’s gums with a clean finger.
Apply some teething gel (which contain local anaesthetics)
providing pain relief from sore gums but be careful
to check the gel’s exact contents
Change diapers frequently if stools are loose and
protect against diaper rash.
Don’t force your baby to eat but carry on with
breast or formula feeding as normal and try something
like cold pureed apple on a cold spoon.
If your baby is really suffering, then your doctor
may prescribe a suitable medication for pain relief
but be aware that some controversy surrounds the use
of pain medicines in babies.
Normally, teething does not require a visit to the
doctor unless of course you are worried that something
other than teething may be causing symptoms. After
2 or 3 days, your baby will be smiling and happy once
more until the next bout of teething!
