Teething issues and problems related to teething.

Teething can be a huge nightmare for the baby as well as the mother. For the baby as the process of teething can be quiet painful and most of all highly irritable but for the mother it’s a torment to see your baby get all irritable cranky and clingy at all times.

Teething is a very prudent part in the baby’s development stage where both the mother and the baby get restless and irritable. No mother is comfortable when their baby is in any kind of discomfort. Teething usually starts when the baby is around 6months old, but in some cases symptoms of teething can be seen as early as 4months.

Children tend to put everything in their mouths that’s the way they explore things but that doesn’t necessarily mean they are teething, as signs of teething are mostly seen 6months onwards.

Babies tend to suffer the following when their teething process commences-

Crankiness and Irritability – babies tend to get unnecessarily cranky and irritable when they are about to start teething their gums are sensitive and itchy and that makes them cranky and most of all clingy. This could also lead to disturb sleeping losing their appetite, troubling while feeding. In most cases during the day you can always give the child a teether to chew on that will provide them will some relief and if the climate isn’t too cold then give them a cold teether that has been chilled , the cold effect will help them considerably. There are some gum irritability relieving ointments available but please check with your doctor before any application. To soothe your crying baby a chilled pacifier is also fine; there is no harm in giving the baby a pacifier.

Fever – in most cases babies tend to get a little fever when they are teething or they cut their first tooth, in such times a mild doctor recommended paracetamol will do the trick. There is no need to get stressed over the fever it is very normal. Just speak to your pediatrician and ask him or her to prescribe a good pain reliever paracetamol like pediatric Tylenol, ibuprofen will definitely give the baby some relief.

Salivating- excessive drooling is also seen in babies when they are teething, this is fine but because of drooling the saliva tends to cause a rash on the chin, there is nothing to worry about make sure you clean the baby’s chin with a wet wipe or a wet napkin rinsed in warm water. To get rid of the rash you can apply Vaseline 2 to 3 times a day.

First tooth- usually in their 6^th month the baby gets their first set of teeth, teeth usually come in a pair and 90% of the times the bottom 2 are the first ones to appear. The babies can be in a lot of pain at this time for this a mild pain killer like pediatric Tylenol can be given after consulting your doctor. To give the baby some soothing gently rub your fingers over their gums this will also give them a lot of relief. You can also make small ice bags out of soft napkins and give the baby to suck on, the cold bag or teether or pacifier all act as relievers of discomfort.

Their canines and molars unusually appear around the 9^th and 12^th month.

There are various ways to handle your baby at such a sensitive time, all it will take from you is loads of your patience it’s a matter of time before you see your baby flash their pearly white baby teeth, eventually baby’s settle down and the irritations will also reduce just be calm and patient and do everything possible to make the baby as comfortable as you can in this phase. There is nothing like a mother’s embrace, whatever be how ever painful or uncomfortable the baby is a soothing lullaby in the mothers arm can put everything at ease.