First teething
Baby’s first tooth usually appears between the 6th and 8th month. By the age of 3, all 20 new teeth have ordinarily emerged. Early or delayed emergence of teeth is usually hereditary and is not necessarily related to a problem. If the first new tooth has not appeared by the 12th month, you should consult a Pediatric Dentist.
Possible signs and symptoms
Usually, the symptoms that occur at the emergence of the teeth are mild, such as:
- Red and swollen gums.
- Big amount of saliva.
- Discomfort and anxiety during sleep.
- Change in eating habits
- Last, decreased appetite.
In order to relief the baby of those symptoms, you can:
- First, clean her mouth 2-3 times a day, using a wet gauze.
- Second, give her cold toys made for this purpose.
- Third, you can also give her an ice, wrapped in gauze, it may relieve her.
If the baby gets fever, rash, vomiting or diarrhea, you should visit your pediatrician. As it is possible that something else may be happening, since the above is not related to the emergence of teeth.
Baby’s teething care
Dental care begins with the appearance of the first tooth. Brush baby’s teeth with a soft toothbrush, suitable for the baby’s age and a quantity of toothpaste with a content of 1000 ppm in a minimum amount (trace) twice a day, morning and night.
Breastfeeding – Use of Baby Bottles
Optional breastfeeding, as well as prolonged use of bottles containing milk or sugary drinks, may cause the appearance of baby caries. That is why, voluntary breastfeeding should be avoided, after the emergence of the first new teeth.
If you wish to continue breastfeeding, you should carefully clean the baby’s mouth and teeth from milk residues. The use of the bottle, should be stopped at the age of 12-14 months and in no case should the child sleep with a bottle that contains anything else than water.
Elina Askaroglou-Pediatric dentist
Associate of Pediatric Dentistry of University of Athens
e-mail: elaskaro@yahoo.gr
Source: Greek Pediatric Dental Society