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How to Survive Your Baby Teething
“I used frozen watermelon or other fruit that you can cut big enough so they don't choke. She used to suck and chew on it until her gums felt better.” - Amber, Centennial, CO
When do babies start teething?
While most babies will begin teething around 6 months of age, this number varies widely. Some children won’t begin teething until they’re 12 months old, while some start teething at 3 months old. Some children are even born with a tooth or two! Most children will have all of their 20 primary baby teeth by the time they’re 3 years old. Usually, the four front top teeth and two front bottom teeth (incisors) emerge from the gums first. Most children will sprout their lower teeth first, and then the upper teeth will follow in another 1 to 2 months. Incisors usually emerge first since they are relatively thin and sharp compared to our other teeth. Once your child’s back molars start growing in, the teething pain can intensify. Molars often appear around 12 months of age, and unsurprisingly, they cause more pain simply because they are the biggest teeth. They’re big, fat and broad-surfaced, meaning they have to tear away and break down much more gum tissue to come through. Following your child’s first set of molars, she’s likely to next grow her canines - the teeth between the molars and incisors - and then by the age of 2, sprout her second set of molars. (Yes, she’ll have to go through the teething pain of molars twice!) Since her front teeth and back molars will likely appear before her canines, your baby is probably going to have a gappy smile at first - that’s totally normal! Just enjoy her gappy grin before your baby’s canines come in.“We froze Go-Gurts for my daughter. She loved them! To this day she thinks that's how you're supposed to eat them.” - Jennifer, Mary Esther, FL
Why some babies teeth early and some teeth late
When attempting to answer the question “When do babies start teething?” we need to keep in mind that all babies are a little different, and the age at which or rate at which your baby teethes is mostly dependent on his genetics. So if you’re a family of early teethers, there’s a good chance your baby will end up one, too. The key is not to panic since “normal” is a huge spectrum. Unlike the growth of your baby’s body, the appearance of your baby’s first teeth is not influenced by his nutrition or health - those teeth will emerge when they’re good and ready! In rare cases, babies may be born with teeth (known as natal teeth). If the natal tooth is loose, your doctor will likely remove it to prevent your baby from accidentally swallowing it and choking. If the natal tooth is still firmly in the gums, your doctor will probably advise you to do little more than monitor it and keep it clean. If your baby is still toothless on his first birthday, that’s not cause for concern either. If you’re worried, a dentist can perform an x-ray to check that teeth are present in your baby’s jaw - they’re just taking their time to sprout.“My son loves to chew on a wooden spoon. It calms him down and keeps him busy so he forgets about the pain.” - Claire, Parker, CO
What are signs and symptoms of teething?
Babies experience all sorts of not-very-fun symptoms when they’re teething. In a study published in Pediatrics, researchers at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation followed 125 children from their 3-month checkup through their first birthday. The researchers found that during teething, children experienced a significant increase in:- Biting
- Drooling
- Gum rubbing
- Sucking
- Irritability
- Wakefulness
- Ear rubbing
- Facial rash
- Decreased appetite
- Mild temperature
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