Teething
When do children begin to get teeth?
Most children will get their first tooth between the age of 5 and 9 months, but some children are born with a tooth. By the time they are 12 months old, most babies have the top and bottom 4 front teeth. If no teeth have appeared by 12 months, a dentist should be consulted.
The first molars appear after about one year of age and are the teeth that can cause the most discomfort as they come through.
By two-and-a-half years, most children will have 20 milk or ‘baby’ teeth. These teeth will be lost from 6 years of age to make way for their permanent or adult teeth. The first of the permanent teeth to appear are the lower first molars (‘6-year-old molars’), followed by the front (incisor) teeth.
What happens when a baby tooth breaks through?
The skin over the tooth may become red and swollen, and the gum may feel hard. Some babies find this painful and uncomfortable.
Most babies have a compulsion to put their fists or objects into their mouths to chew on and rub against their gums.
Teething problems
For some children teething also causes a loss of appetite, irritability or excessive dribbling (which can cause a facial rash). The child may be restless when awake, and have difficulty sleeping.
There is no evidence that teething causes high fevers or diarrhoea. If a child is unwell a more serious condition should be excluded before ‘teething’ is blamed.
Treating the pain
To help reduce the pain associated with teething the following measures may be useful.
- Gently massage or press on your baby's gum with a clean, wet finger. If this obviously upsets your child do not continue.
- Give your baby something cold to suck or chew on. You can also buy plastic teething rings which you cool and then give to your child to chew on. Some yoghurt or fruit straight from the fridge can also be soothing.
- Prevent skin rashes on the face by wiping away dribble with a clean cloth and applying a protective barrier cream.
- Rub a teething gel on to the gums if the child is very upset. Use as directed on the packet. Teething gels can be bought over the counter at your local pharmacy.
- Occasionally, children may require paracetamol or ibuprofen to control pain. Use strictly as directed on the bottle. Check with your doctor or pharmacist before doing this.
When to see a doctor
Teething may cause your baby to be mildly off-colour but it does not cause serious illness. Take your child to the doctor if your child has a high temperature, diarrhoea, sore ears, is not drinking, or seems unwell rather than just grizzly.
Last Reviewed: 09 December 2009
- 1. American Dental Association [website]. Teething (updated 2005, March 14). Available at: http://www.ada.org/public/topics/teething.asp (Accessed 2009, Dec 18)
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