How strange. My baby has been drooling like crazy the past few days and puts everything in their mouth to bite on. I also see a white dot appearing in the gums. Tada! There they are. Your baby's first teeth. But, when does your baby actually get teeth? Should you start brushing teeth right away? And what can you do to ease the pain? Naïf tells you.
When do babies actually get teeth?
That varies from child to child, of course, but you can expect them somewhere between four and seven months, usually around six months. First, the two middle lower incisors come through. A couple of months later, the two middle upper incisors. Around twelve months, the outer incisors appear above and below, and your child has eight teeth. Often around sixteen months, the front molars come through above and below. The back molars appear around two years. Eventually, your child has twenty teeth and molars; ten on top, ten on the bottom.
Symptoms of teething
With this too; some children are bothered by it, others are not. But there are a number of symptoms to watch out for. Such as: clingy, moody, red cheeks, lots of drooling, crying, slight fever, loose stools, and the urge to chew on everything. You can always check yourself with a (clean) finger to see if you feel a little point.
Ouch, red bottom!
If your baby is experiencing loose stools from teething, it can happen that a red bottom develops. This loose stool is often a bit more acidic. Therefore, change the diaper frequently, especially if your baby has just pooped or peed, this prevents the skin from coming into contact with the stool. Use wipes that don't irritate for this. And of course, it's even nicer if they don't contain plastic, so you're also thinking about the environment. Then smear the bottom with a generous layer of diaper cream full of zinc oxide and chamomile. This helps to calm the skin.
Brush!
From brushing the bottom to brushing teeth. Because getting teeth also means it needs to be taken care of! Time to brush. In the first year of life, once a day is enough. With a soft toothbrush and a very small amount of toothpaste that is suitable for babies. Nowadays you also have nice, natural toothpastes with or without fluoride. Do what you feel comfortable with. And of course; watch out for sweets, sugary drinks, etc. You don't want to overload the young teeth with sugars. The teeth won't like that. And your child won't either in the end.
First aid for pain
The process of getting teeth apparently can be quite painful. We can no longer remember that, but when we see a crying baby, we can imagine it. How can you ease the pain?
Give a teething ring. You have wooden ones, but also special ones that you can put in the refrigerator, which provide cooling.
You could also think of a (homeopathic) remedy. Get information about this from your (health) drugstore.
You can massage your little one's sore gums. Wash your hands first.
Just push through. It's not nice to see your baby like this, but ultimately the pain serves a purpose.
And last but not least: cuddle, cuddle, cuddle. Your little one needs attention and love when they're not feeling well, so good reason to give extra cuddles.
