Taking care of teething - FOX 21/27 WFXR Roanoke/WWCW Lynchburg News, Weather

By Diane Griffith, Staff Writer, myOptumHealth

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Your baby seems a little fussy and wants to chew on your finger - or anything else in sight. These could be early signs that a tooth may soon break through.

That first tooth should appear sometime around the age of 6 months. Don't worry, though, if your baby is still giving you that toothless grin months later. Some babies are born with teeth, while others still don't have them on their first birthday. This is often based on family history: If the parents were late or early teethers, there's a good chance the baby will follow suit. Talk to your doctor if you don't see any teeth once your baby's first birthday has passed.

Typically, the first teeth to come in are the two front bottom ones, followed by the two top teeth. Most children will have their full set of teeth by the age of 3.

How will I know if my baby is teething?

Your baby may have some discomfort during teething, but it is possible that there won't be any symptoms at all. Although it's commonly believed that fevers go along with teething, it's not so.

Some symptoms of teething include:

• Fussiness
• Loss of appetite
• Crying
• Drooling more than usual
• Irritability
• Biting and trying to chew on anything within reach
• Swelling along the gum line that is tender to the touch

How can I make my baby feel more comfortable?

Give your baby extra cuddles, and try some of these tips to relieve the discomfort:

• Wash and dry your hands. Then, using one of your fingers, rub your baby's gums softly.
• Offer baby a cold teething ring made of hard rubber to chew on.
• Give baby a clean, cold, dampened washcloth to bite down on.
• Try soft, cold foods, such as applesauce or yogurt, for teething relief if your baby is old enough for solid foods.
• Don't use teething gel unless you get your doctor's OK.

How should I care for my baby's teeth?

Keep your baby's teeth clean and healthy when they start coming in.

• As soon as your baby gets his first tooth, use a gauze pad to wipe teeth after meals and at bedtime.
• At between 12 and 18 months, begin brushing twice a day using a soft-bristled baby toothbrush and some water.
• You can start using a small pea-sized amount of toothpaste around age 2, once the child is old enough to rinse. Supervise to be sure she is not swallowing the toothpaste.
• Don't let your baby go to sleep with a bottle.
• Don't put juice in a bottle. If you want to give your baby juice, put it in a sippy cup once she is old enough for one and offer it at meals only. Juice has a lot of sugar and too much can be bad for your baby's teeth.

When should my baby go to the dentist?

Sometime between the appearance of your baby's first tooth and her first birthday, start taking her to a pediatric dentist for regular dental checkups.

View the original Taking care of teething article on myOptumHealth.com 

SOURCES:

• American Academy of Family Physicians. How to care for your baby's teeth. Accessed: 09/17/2009

• American Dental Association. Teething. Accessed: 09/17/2009

• American Dental Association. Primary teeth eruption chart. Accessed: 09/17/2009

• American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. Baby's first teeth. Accessed: 09/18/2009

• Kliegman RN. Periodontal disease. In: Kliegman RN, Behrman RE, Jenson HB, Stanton BF. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. Accessed: 09/17/2009