What you need to know when your baby reaches teething age

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor I Dang Thi Ngoc Chuong - Department of Pediatrics - Neonatology, Vinmec Central Park International General Hospital. The doctor has extensive experience in the diagnosis and examination of neonatal pathology - neonatal resuscitation.
Teething is considered an important milestone for mothers. However, it is always accompanied by anxiety, because at this time, the baby is often fussy, has a low fever and is more difficult to eat than usual. So as a mother, what do you need to prepare to give your baby the most comfort?

1. When do babies start teething?

Most babies get their first teeth between 6 and 10 months old. If your baby is teething early, you may see the first tooth (usually the front tooth located in the lower jaw) around 3 months of age. In other cases, your baby may be teething later, you may have to wait until he's at least a year old to see his first tooth.
Most babies get their new teeth in order, with two front teeth on the lower jaw first, then two on the upper jaw, and then later on the sides.
The last teeth to appear are the second molars located at the end of the upper and lower jaw bones. They will probably grow when your baby is between 23 and 31 months old. By this time, your child will have all 20 baby teeth.

2. What are the signs of teething babies?

Every baby's development is different, you can easily notice some babies teething without any discomfort, however many babies will experience some discomfort during their pregnancy. this period of teething. You may notice signs and symptoms of teething such as:
Drooling (which can lead to a rash on your face) Swollen and sensitive gums Irritability or fussiness Or gnawing or biting Do not want to eat Disorders about sleep Or rub your face and ears.

3. When your baby is teething, you need to prepare what to make your baby most comfortable

Here are some things you can do to make your baby more comfortable during teething:
Find something to help your baby chew: Have your child use a teething ring. Do not store pacifiers in the freezer as frozen pacifiers can be so hard that they injure your baby's gums. Cold foods: If your baby is on solids, you can give him yogurt or chilled apple sauce. Cold foods can help relieve pain. If your baby is old enough to eat firmer foods, a frozen banana or bagels can help ease the pain. Attention should be paid to the risk of choking on food. Gum massage: Wash your hands, then use your fingers to rub and press gently on the baby's gums. This can put just enough pressure on the gums, helping your baby feel the new teeth coming in. Never give your child aspirin (or apply aspirin to their gums). Aspirin can lead to a rare and potentially life-threatening condition called Reye's syndrome.
The American Academy of Pediatrics, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other experts recommend against using over-the-counter teething products such as teething gels because they can cause harmful effects. side effects such as: seizures and breathing problems, in infants and children.

4. Dental care for children

When children's teeth start to come in, keeping them clean depends in part on the care of their parents. As soon as your baby's teeth come in, brush them twice a day (like once in the morning, then again right before bed). Use a baby-sized toothbrush with toothpaste on it. Consult with your doctor or dentist whether you should use a toothpaste that contains fluoride. If your child doesn't like the taste of one toothpaste, try another flavor. You don't have to brush in a certain direction. Just try to remove any food particles stuck to the teeth. Once your baby has many teeth, it can be difficult to reach all of the tooth surfaces with a brush. That means it's time to start flossing your child. Colorful dental floss specially designed for children can help them be more easily accepted by children. At around 18 months, your child is probably ready to start learning to brush their own teeth. Refer to "How to brush teeth the right way" to help children form the right and scientific habits. When your baby turns 2, start using a little more toothpaste - about the size of a pea.

5. Some other ways to care for children's teeth

5.1 Take steps to avoid bottle-feeding tooth decay Limit bottle-feeding while sleeping, to prevent this and reduce the risk of tooth decay is to switch from bottle-feeding to cup-drinking and offering it to your baby. Rinse your mouth with warm water after drinking milk. Usually when the child is 1 year old, you can apply this form.
5.2 Dental visit Dentists recommend scheduling your baby's first tooth care around his baby's first birthday (when he's 1 year old) or within 6 months of his baby's first tooth grows, whichever comes first.
5.3 Limit foods that cause tooth decay Limit the amount of sweets your child eats. When your child eats something sugary (like at a birthday party), be sure to brush his teeth right after he eats.

6. What to do if your child has not had teeth yet?

If you still don't see any signs of teething by the time your baby is 18 months old. You should take your child to see a doctor or dentist.
In addition, if your child has all the signs of teething - drooling, swollen gums, you should take him to a reputable medical facility.
In the process of taking care of a child who needs consultation and examination, you can take your child to the Pediatrics Department at Vinmec General Hospital for advice and examination by experts. Here, doctors will diagnose and have treatment methods for each specific case to bring the best effect.
In addition, parents should also apply some methods of changing habits and improving nutrition to support the child's teeth to develop better.
Besides, parents also need to supplement their children with essential micro-minerals such as zinc, lysine, chromium, selenium, vitamin B1, ... to fully meet the nutritional needs of children. The addition of these essential vitamins also supports digestion, enhances nutrient absorption, improves anorexia, and helps children eat well. Parents can simultaneously apply dietary supplements and functional foods derived from nature for easy absorption. The most important thing is that improving your baby's symptoms often takes a long time. Combining many types of functional foods at the same time or changing many types in a short time can make the baby's digestive system unable to adapt and completely not good. Therefore, parents must be really patient with their children and regularly visit the website vimec.com to update useful baby care information.
Reference source: babycenter.com