You’ve brought your baby home from the hospital, fed them, clothed them, got them to sleep a bit (and hopefully got a little sleep yourself) and then, somewhere in the first year comes the real hard part. Teething!
Starting as early as 4 months in some infants, the teething process can be painful for both the child and the parent. Here we will look at the signs your child is teething, what you can do to help make the teething process more comfortable and when you should see a dentist or a doctor.
Starting as early as 4 months in some infants, the teething process can be painful for both the child and the parent. Here we will look at the signs your child is teething, what you can do to help make the teething process more comfortable and when you should see a dentist or a doctor.
How do you Know Your Kid is Teething?
There are a few very important tell-tale signs that your child is teething. You want to be on the lookout for things like excessive drooling, chewing or gnawing on things, irritability or fussiness, changes in eating or sleeping habits and, possibly, a low-grade fever (under 101-degrees). Since many of these symptoms are also the standard operating procedure for babies, keep an eye out for a few of them to present at the same time.
How to Soothe Teething Pain?
Once you know your kid is teething, the next step is to help them out to ease the pain. There are a few ways you can make the process less painful for them and less stressful for you. Here are the best ways to soothe a teething infant.
- Rub their gums – putting pressure on their gums and rubbing them will make them feel much better. You can use a moist gauze pad, the backside of a spoon or your finger. Just make sure whatever you use is very clean to avoid infection.
- Give them a teething ring – there are many products out there specifically designed for your child to chew on during the teething process to help soothe them. You should avoid teething products with liquid in them though, as they might break.
- Give them something cold to chew on – dentists now suggest that frozen items are too much for teething babies but things that are cold will help immensely. A cold spoon, washcloth or food that they are capable of eating will do wonders.
When to See a Dentist or Doctor
If your child is experiencing the symptoms above, do not worry. Do the best you can to help them through the process and know that with time, it will get better. There are symptoms that should make you worry though. If you observe your baby experiencing these, you should see a pediatrician immediately about it. These include, a fever higher than 101-degrees, developing a rash or having diarrhea or vomiting.
Proper dental care is incredibly important from the time the first tooth comes in. Once that happens, you should look into scheduling your child’s first dentist appointment. Starting your child at the dentist before their 1st birthday goes a long way toward promoting good oral health. If you are in Canada and looking for a Kids Dentist Calgary NW, check out Northmount Dental Care. They will be able to guide your child along the way to healthy teeth and gums and give you even more guidance about helping your child in the teething process.
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