At about six months, an exciting, often alarming period begins in a baby's life: milk teeth are erupting. This physiological state raises many questions for parents, because often the process of the appearance of teeth is not easy.
The first teeth in babies generally appear in the period from five to seven months. Although in medicine there are cases when children are born with teeth. This is not surprising, because the rudiments of teeth in babies are formed in the womb.
Teething symptoms
A few weeks before the onset of such an important event in the life of not only the child, but also the whole family, there are precursors of the incipient eruption. The various symptoms that appear in the baby notify the mother that the first teeth will soon appear in the mouth of the baby.
The first thing that a mother most often notices is the frequent change in her child's mood. The once calm and cheerful baby suddenly becomes moody, sleeps and eats poorly. Or, on the contrary, it constantly "hangs" on the chest and fiddles with it. The baby puts into his mouth everything that comes to hand. There are children who do not stick their hands and even their legs out of their mouths. The reason for this behavior is clear: their gums, propped up from the inside by milk teeth, itch.
One of the symptoms indicating the imminent appearance of incisors is profuse salivation. There is so much saliva that it bubbles, flows down the chin in small rivulets.
Also, doctors note that many children at this time are worried about a special runny nose. It is somewhat different from the common cold. It is not nozzles that flow from the nose, but a liquid similar to ordinary water. This discharge does not cause discomfort to the child.
A whitened gum testifies to the imminent appearance of teeth. If you pull back the lip, you can see how the outlines of small teeth shine through under the gums. The gums themselves may be swollen. They seem to be inflamed. If a white stripe is visible over the gum, it means that in a couple of days the baby will have the first incisor.
Which teeth appear first
It is generally accepted that the anterior lower incisors are the first to erupt. They should appear in about 6-9 months. Further, the upper incisors are "born". Behind them, side ones appear: first at the top, then at the bottom. By the age of one, a child has 8 front teeth. By the age of one and a half, molars begin to grow. After them comes the turn of the fangs. The epic with teething is completed by the second chewing teeth. At about three years old, a baby should have 20 teeth.
All the deadlines are not critical. Babies have their own "program" for the appearance of teeth. For some, the first incisor may appear only by the year, while others by this time their mouth is full. The sequence of the appearance of teeth is also individual for each.
Timing of teething
As such, there is no time for the appearance of each tooth. In some cases, the entire process may take a couple of days, while in others it may take months. Fortunately, the discomfort that a child experiences occurs only with the first teeth. Further eruption does not give him any discomfort.
How to help a child
To make your baby whine less and endure troubling days as easily as possible, you can resort to several simple methods.
First, the child is nervous because he wants to constantly scratch his gums. Give him that opportunity. A teether, a dummy, even a crust of bread can serve as a "comb". They will relieve the itching and calm the baby.
Something cold can help soothe the pain. By rubbing a cool spoon or finger over the gums, you can reduce the pressure on the gums, thereby relieving the suffering of the crumb. Even a wet cloth can serve as a coolant. Let the baby "lose" her.
If "household" methods do not help, you can use special gels or creams. There are products with a cooling and analgesic effect that will calm the baby down for a while. But mothers should be aware of the precautions when using various painkillers and not abuse them.
Despite the fact that the period of the appearance of teeth is often not so pleasant, it is still a special time in your child's development. No fear and excitement can match the joyful feeling when you see your baby smiling at you with a white-toothed smile.
