Baby Teeth Matter
Why you ask?
It’s important to realise how integral baby teeth are to your child’s development.
Baby teeth help your child eat, speak, sing, smile and provide the soft tissue support to help give your child their unique physical appearance. They also play an important role in reserving the space for the adult teeth to move into later on.
When can I expect my child’s teeth to appear?
Your child’s first tooth usually erupts around 6-9 months. By 3 years of age your child should have a full complement of 20 teeth.
Teething
Teething isn’t much fun for anyone. This is a time when the teeth are breaking through the gums for the first time and there is not much we can do to cure the discomfort and pain that our child is experiencing. We can however help soothe some of their pain.
What changes can we notice in our child during this time?
Red and swollen gums, irritability, flushed cheeks, increased dribbling, altered eating and sleep patterns, a change in their bowel movements, rash due to drooling.
How can we help soothe some of their pain?
Giving your child plenty of extra hugs and affection can distract them in the short term.
Relief in the form of pressure can bring comfort hence why children are seen often placing their fingers and other objects in their mouths. Gently massaging the gums with a clean cold spoon or chilled clean washcloth can help. Chilled teething rings offer temporary relief due to the pressure and cold applied against the gums.
Parents can choose to use a cold pacifier to relieve discomfort. Do not dip the pacifier in honey or jam or any substance as this does not relieve pain and causes tooth decay.
If the methods outlined do not offer adequate relief for teething, consult your local dentist or pharmacist for advice before using pain medication or oral gels that contain a local anaesthetic.
Should symptoms such as fever, rash unrelated to drooling or diarrhoea be present, seek immediate advice from your Medical Doctor to exclude other illnesses unrelated to teething.
