As a mum, there are so many milestones you look forward to cross with your child. Teething is one of those milestones. Although it brings out a lot of mixed feelings for you as a mum, the joy far much surpasses the grief. “What mixed feelings?” you may ask. Well, there’s the joy of seeing your baby finally growing teeth. You can’t wait for them to have a mouth full of those cute, tiny, white teeth, if only to see their beautiful dentals every time they smile. It is the most adorable thing! On the other hand, there’s the crying. As baby’s teeth cut through their gums, your child may experience a lot pain and discomfort. As such, many babies tend to cry a lot during teething.
Listed below are some of the most commonly asked questions on teething and their answers.
What is teething?
It’s obvious that it’s going to happen, but you just don’t know when exactly. In definition, teething is the process through which teeth cut through the gums of a baby to burst into the mouth. This first batch of teeth is called the milk teeth.
When does teething start in babies?
Normally, most babies will start teething at 6 months. However, like most things in life it is not a sure bet. Some babies will start the process as early as 4 months while others can start as late as 16 months. The lower anterior incisors usually come in first. However, there’s no need to panic if your baby gets their upper central incisors first. Regardless of which tooth comes in first, all your baby’s teeth will come in good time. If you’d like, review a baby teething chart to help you determine the most likely order for your baby’s teething process.
What does teething look like?
When you look at your baby’s gums during teething you will notice some level of irritability. The gums will be red and often swollen. You will also notice that your baby is always trying to get everything into their mouth. They will chew on your fingers, their own, and anything else they can get their hands on. They do this as a way to soothe their gums. You can help by rubbing your baby’s gums using your clean fingers or a wet cloth.
How does teething affect babies?
Many mothers have reported diarrhea, fever, rash, and even running nose as some of the most common symptoms of teething. The one common and accurate effect of teething in babies is drooling. The baby may also have a mild fever (37.5°C) while teething. If the fever shoots above 38°C, it is highly likely that something else is causing it. If you notice such symptoms as fever, ear pain, rash, diarrhea, constipation, vomiting, running nose, or cough while baby is teething it is best to visit your doctor. Never blame all symptoms on teething, let the doctor figure out the underlying cause.
What is the best solution?
When choosing the teething gel for your little one, go for one that contains benzocaine. It should also be designed to soothe sore gums. Teething gels, biscuits, tablets, beads, and even eggs are considered the modern solution to teething. No need to worry if you are an old soul and you’d rather use something natural that’s readily available in your home. Cold hard vegetables such as cucumber and carrots can act as great teething toys. Just leave the carrot or cucumber in your fridge for about an hour before giving it to your baby to chew on. The cool temperatures calm their gums. You can also get your baby a cooling teether. It is perfect for soothing their gums.
Which are the best teething products?
As a mum to a teething baby, you are likely scouring the internet for the best teething products for your baby. It’s understandable. You want to sooth your baby and make sure they are as comfortable as possible. Silicone teethers are not only great for soothing your baby, but safe as well. They are made from food quality silicone. As such, silicone teethers are free of any harmful chemicals and completely safe for your baby.
Rattle teethers play two roles: soothing gums in teething babies and amusing infants. As such, many parents may choose rattle teethers for their babies as they want to keep them entertained while calming their gums. You need to be careful when purchasing the rattle teether to make sure that you are not putting your baby at risk of choking. Ensure that the teether is at least 2 inches in diameter and without sharp edges.
Some teething solutions are best avoided. Popular in the US teething tablets are one of those solutions. The FDA has warned against the use of teething tablets containing belladonna. As a parent seeking a teething solution for your infant it is best to keep teething tablets out of your list of options. A cooling teether is a way better solution, and it does not pose any unnecessary risk to your baby. 