How do I help my teething child?
Between 3 and 9 months, your child’s baby teeth will begin to erupt. They process normally starts with the lower two front teeth. While timing varies considerably among children, the order is normally very predictable. After the four incisors come in on both the upper and lower jaw, the first molars erupt. They are followed by the canines (eye teeth) and then finally the second molars further back in the mouth. Most children have a full set of 20 baby teeth by 2.5 or 3 years.
Teething can go by almost unnoticed or can be stressful for parents and children alike. It may make your child irritable or fussy and may cause restlessness, drooling or loss of appetite. However, teething has not been shown to cause other childhood symptoms such as fever, vomiting or diarrhea. You can ease your child’s teething discomfort by:
1. Giving him or her a hard or frozen teething ring to chew on – ensuring that it is soft material and big enough to avoid chocking
2. Applying pressure over the gums by rubbing them with a clean finger
3. Using a small dab of an over-the-counter teething gel (following the manufacturer’s instructions) to temporarily numb the gums)
Clonmel Children’s Dental Clinic is the dental practice of Dr. Eimear Norton. We provide specialized dentistry for children and adolescents in a child-friendly environment.