Baby teeth typically begin to appear when a child is between age six months and one year. The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends that a dentist examine a child within six months after the first tooth comes in and no later than the first birthday. A dental visit at an early age is a “well baby checkup†for the teeth. Besides checking for tooth decay and other problems, the dentist can show you how to clean the child's teeth properly and how to evaluate any potentially bad habits such as thumbsucking. Most children have a full set of 20 baby teeth by the time they are three years old.
As soon as teeth appear in the mouth, tooth decay can occur. Therefore, when your child's teeth begin to erupt, brush them gently with a child's size toothbrush and water. Brush the teeth of children over age two with a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste. Be sure they spit out the toothpaste and rinse with water. (Ask your child's dentist or physician if you are considering using fluoride toothpaste before age two.)
Your baby is teething when his or her first set of teeth, called primary teeth, break through the gums.
Babies may bite on their fingers or toys to help relieve the pressure in their gums. They may also refuse to eat and drink because their mouths hurt.
Many babies drool during teething, which can cause a rash on the chin, face, or chest.
Use only a smear of low-fluoride children's toothpaste on the brush. Too much toothpaste can lead to fluorosis (white patches or mottling on the teeth)so it's also a good idea to encourage your baby to spit out the leftover paste, as she gets older. As she grows, right up until she is seven or eight years old, you will need to do the brushing for her, but you can gradually give her more responsibility for the brushing.
It’s impossible to tell how your baby will react until that first tooth begins to cut, but we hope that the information and advice provided on this website will help to reassure you and ease you both through the teething process.
There's a lot for parents to take account of - cuddles, the right food, objects to chew on and (of course!) Bonjela will all help successfully pass through the important teething process.
The first signs of teething usually begin a few months before the first tooth appears so you will need to look for particular symptoms to ensure that this is actually the cause. This is important because all too often, teething gets blamed for a variety of complaints, such as fever, vomiting, runny noses, diarrhoea and rashes all of which could be signs of a different problem. In fact, most healthcare professionals agree that teething should not make your baby ill, so if you're unsure of the cause of your baby's discomfort or they are suffering from any of these conditions, you should always consult your doctor.
