Teething is a natural and critical part of your baby’s growth. As a parent, you want to do everything possible to ease your baby’s discomfort and ensure their teeth grow healthy and strong.
This can lead to questions about the best teething remedies and ways to make your little one smile during teething.
Here’s a guide that answers infant teething questions related to teething rashes, teething syndrome and more.
What Is Teething, And When Does It Start?
Teething is a natural process where a baby’s teeth start to push through its gums. Most babies start teething at seven months. However, in some cases, teething can start before your little one turns four months old. Meanwhile, teething continues for 24 months or more.
Some babies experience teething earlier or later than others. Therefore, there’s no need to worry if your little one’s teething seems delayed or ahead of schedule. Just monitor their progress and consult your paediatrician if you have any concerns.
What are the Common Signs of Teething?
The most common sign of infant teething is swollen or sore gums. This can make your toddlers fussy and irritated. So, they may cry more often than normal or want to chew everything they can get their hands on. But don’t worry. You can manage these symptoms with easy baby teething remedies, which we’ll look into later in the article.
Besides swollen or sore gums, here are some other signs of infant teething.
- Teething stimulates the salivary glands, causing your little one to drool more than usual.
- During teething, your baby may want to chew on everything they can get their hands on, including their own hands, toys, and even furniture.
- Teething makes it difficult for your baby to eat and sleep comfortably, leading to changes in their usual patterns of food and sleep.
- Excessive drooling can cause a rash around your baby’s mouth and chin.
Parents must know that babies might have different symptoms during teething. Therefore, it’s recommended to consult your paediatrician to confirm if your infant is teething.
What is a Baby Teething Chart?
An infant teething chart demonstrates the teething stages of your little one. Simply put, it shows how your baby will get different types of teeth, such as incisors, canines, premolars, and molars. Here we describe the teething stages.
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Teething at 6-10 months:
Most babies start teething when they are 6 to 10 months old. Your little one will have swollen gums and redness in the area where the teeth are coming. Most babies start teething with lower central incisors. They are the two bottom middle teeth in your little one’s mouth.
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Teething at 8-12 months:
The teething symptoms from the previous stage are evident in this stage too. Most babies get their two upper middle teeth during this time.
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Teething at 9-16 months:
You can see your baby’s teeth when they smile. You might also notice an evident increase in drool, crankiness, and the need to chew solid objects in your babies. Most babies in this stage develop a pair of teeth on either side of the upper middle teeth. Consecutively, they also develop a pair of teeth on either side of the lower middle teeth.
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Teething at 13-18 months:
Your baby might experience loss of appetite and mild temperature in this teething stage. Their sleep schedule may also become sporadic. It’s because of their first molar eruption. Your little one’s first molars- teeth at the back of the mouth- will erupt on the top, followed by the bottom.
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Teething at 16-23 months:
The canine teeth will erupt during this phase. The first canine teeth will appear on either side of the upper lateral incisors and molar, followed by the bottom canine on either side of the lower lateral incisors and molar.
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Teething at 22-31 months:
This stage is painful for some babies. It’s because during this time the largest molar emerged. These are the biggest teeth and parents might need to find new ways to soothe their little ones.
Always remember that the baby teething chart may not be the same for all babies. So, don’t panic if your baby doesn’t follow the conventional infant teething chart.
When do the Primary Teeth shed?
The primary teeth don’t start to shed until your little one grows up to the age of 6 to 7 years.
What is Teething Syndrome, and How Common is it?
Teething syndrome refers to the symptoms your little ones may experience as their teething process starts. It’s a natural process and incredibly common in infants.
It’s important to note that not all babies experience teething syndrome. However, it’s important to be prepared for teething syndrome and know how to comfort your little one.
How to Take Care of Babies During Teething?
Seeing your little ones go through teething can be tough, but there are plenty of natural remedies that you can use to reduce their pain and soothe their gums. Here are some baby teething remedies to try:
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Teething toys:
These are soft, chewy toys that can help satisfy your baby’s chewing urges. They come in various forms, like rubber teething rings or toys, so you can pick the ones your baby is comfortable with. These teething toys can be a perfect distraction from pain and discomfort.
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Chilled foods:
If your little one is already eating solids, give them frozen or cold fruits to soothe their sore gums.
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Massage:
Teething babies often find it soothing to have their gums rubbed gently. So gently massaging your baby’s gums with a clean finger can ease their discomfort.
Never give pain relievers to treat teething pain without consulting your paediatrician. That’s because pain relief medicines contain local anaesthetics, which are not suitable for infants under the age of three months.
What are Common Myths Associated with Infant Teething?
While caring is one part, people also get influenced by the myths. So, it is necessary to know the right information so you can care for your little one better. Here are four common myths associated with teething.
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Teething causes high fever:
Baby teething doesn’t cause a high fever. Although some babies may experience a slight increase in body temperature while teething.
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Teething causes diarrhoea:
It’s a common myth that parents believe. However, there is no evidence to prove that teething causes diarrhoea. Some babies may experience loose stools or diarrhoea during teething because they put things in their mouths that cause gastrointestinal illness.
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Teething causes ear infections:
Some babies may have rashes on their ears while teething. However, having ear infections during teething is rare. But, teething and ear infections can occur at the same time, as they are both common in infants.
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Teething happens all at once:
Teething is a process that can take several months to complete, and not all teeth come in at the same time.
It’s important to consult a paediatrician if you have questions about teething myths.
Final Thoughts
Baby teething can be a challenging time for both parents and babies. However, knowing what to expect and how to provide relief can make the process comfortable for your little one.
Contact a local paediatrician for guidance and support if you’re worried about your baby’s teething process. You can enjoy this exciting milestone with your little one with love, patience, and care.
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