Baby First Tooth Symptoms
There are so many things to pay attention to with regards to your baby’s development and growth. Among these things is the development of their dentition, or the eruption of their teeth. The growth of teeth and the process of teething can be a discomfort for your baby, so it is important to pay attention to the signs. We talk about teething when the first teeth, called primary or temporary teeth or commonly called "baby teeth", erupt in the mouth. The appearance of the teeth follows a highly variable schedule of a child to another: the 1st tooth is generally appeared before the sixth month, but the breakthrough may be earlier or later.
The teeth almost always come in the same order. The lower central incisors push out first. At 10 months, the infant may already have 8 incisors. Between 12 and 24 months, the lower then upper canines appear. Before 30 months, the molars will grow: 2 at the bottom then 2 at the top. In total, the first dentition has 20 baby teeth which will all be in place before the age of 3 and will serve as a guide for the permanent teeth. Before it appears, the growing tooth will cause inflammation of the gums. This process is accompanied by many symptoms, which can vary from baby to baby.
Learn to recognize the signs of teething
If baby has any of these symptoms, it may be a tooth growing:
- Crying and irritability, caused by pain.
- Gums painful and swollen, even swollen.
- More profuse salivation (and tendency to put fingers or objects in the mouth).
- Decreased appetite.
- Red cheeks, often on the only side of teething.
- Difficulty falling asleep, even disturbed sleep.
Other possible signs
During this period, baby may also show other symptoms such as a slight fever. There may also be a change in the color of the gum tissue and a soft, dark swollen area close to the teething. All these little annoyances do not make you smile but are common. Teething is a natural process in baby's development. The first usually takes place between 6 and 16 months. Note that a teething lasts about 8 days * and that your baby will have 20 baby teeth around the age of 3. If your baby shows any of these symptoms for more than 3 days, see your doctor to rule out another cause.
To reduce the discomfort of a baby who suffers from his teeth, a few simple steps can be taken:
- Comfort and cuddle them by massaging his whole body, for example
- Gently and regularly wipe their face with a clean cloth (this helps prevent irritation from saliva)
- Offer them a teething ring without liquid, previously refrigerated (but not frozen, because there is a risk of burns) and clean, so that they can bite it. The cold and the pressure exerted by the jaw help to effectively reduce pain in infants
- Give them cold food adapted to their age
- Massage their gums with a clean finger or a clean, damp cloth. The massage brings to the young child immediate relief