Teething in children: when does it start, what are the symptoms and how many teeth should there be

When children start teething: features of the process

The appearance of the first tooth is a real event in the life of a family, which at the same time brings a lot of excitement. Usually, the period when teeth start to come in falls on the age of 6 to 8 months, but these terms are quite conditional. Dentists emphasize that a deviation of several months in both directions is considered the norm, because each baby develops according to its own individual genetic program. The process of teething in children usually begins with the lower central incisors, after which their antagonists appear on the upper jaw.

It is important to understand that the formation of a bite is a long process. Parents should be patient, because the eruption of each subsequent unit may be accompanied by different reactions of the body. At this time, it is important to provide the child with psychological comfort and special care, because the baby may feel incomprehensible pressure inside the gums. The role of parents at this stage is not only to monitor the schedule of appearance, but also to notice changes in the condition of the oral mucosa in time to help the child go through this physiological stage more easily.

Symptoms of teething: how to recognize in time

Many parents notice changes in the child's behavior long before the crown breaks through the gums. The main symptoms of teething:

• increased capriciousness:
• restless sleep;
• profuse salivation.

The baby's body directs a large amount of resources to the process of bone growth, which sometimes leads to a general decrease in immunity. This is why the child often has a temperature during teething, which usually stays within 37.2-38.0°C for one or two days.

If you notice that the child is trying to gnaw everything around him - from toys to his own fists - this is a clear sign of severe itching of the gums. During this period, it is important to use special teethers with a cooling effect, which help to narrow blood vessels and reduce swelling.

Fever should not be accompanied by a pronounced cough or runny nose. If such symptoms appear, the baby probably caught a virus against the background of a weakened body, so it is worth contacting a pediatrician to rule out complications.

What do gums look like when teething and what is considered normal

Visual changes in the gums are the most accurate indicator of teething. The appearance of the gums can be somewhat frightening: they become swollen, puffy, acquire a bright red or even purple hue. Immediately before teething, a whitish edge of the enamel can be seen through the thin mucous membrane. Sometimes a small hematoma (cyanotic bump) forms at the site of the future incisor, which usually passes on its own as soon as the crown comes out.

Oral hygiene becomes extremely important during this difficult period. Although there is no complete dentition yet, teething in infants requires cleaning the gums from milk or formula residues to prevent the growth of bacteria in the inflamed area.

Use special silicone fingernails or a clean gauze pad dipped in boiled water for this. Clean gums are a guarantee that the teething process will take place without the addition of a secondary infection, which can cause stomatitis or other unpleasant complications.

How many teeth does a child have: the number of milk and permanent teeth by age

Parents often compare their babies with their peers, trying to find out how many teeth a child should have at a certain age. There is an approximate standard: by the end of the third year of life, the baby should have a full set of 20 milk teeth. This set includes 8 incisors, 4 canines and 8 molars (chewing teeth). Although the sequence of appearance may vary, the total number of milk teeth in a child usually remains the same for everyone.

It is important to remember that baby teeth have thin enamel, so they are very susceptible to decay. Even if the baby is still very small, teething is a signal to start using baby toothpaste and a brush. Do not allow your child to stay with a bottle of sweet drink or formula for a long time, especially at night, as this leads to the development of «bottle caries».

Keeping the baby row healthy until the natural change is critical, as it holds space for future permanent units and affects the formation of correct speech and bite.

Teething in children: symptoms and possible problems

The change of baby teeth to permanent teeth begins at about 6 years of age and continues until adolescence. Symptoms of teething can resemble early childhood (discomfort, gum sensitivity) and largely depend on how timely the milk predecessors fall out. The first to appear are usually the “sixes” – the first permanent molars that grow behind the last milk teeth. Since they often appear unnoticed, parents may miss this moment and not provide them with proper care.

One of the main problems of this period is the incorrect eruption of teeth in infants (if it is a delay) or permanent teeth (if they lack space in the jaw). If the permanent unit begins to grow “second row”, and the milk one is still firmly in place, you should immediately consult an orthodontist. Timely intervention will help to avoid long and expensive treatment with braces in the future. Only regular professional examinations guarantee the health of a permanent bite.

At Ali's Premium Dental Care (Doc Ali Dental) we create conditions so that each stage of the child's dental development takes place under the reliable supervision of professionals. Our chief doctor, Al-Budnain Ali Mushtaq, who is a member of the International Club of Implantologists (ITI), uses advanced diagnostic and preventive methods. We are sure that a pediatric dentist should be, first of all, a friend for a small patient, so in our center in Ivano-Frankivsk, treatment is stress-free and pain-free. We will help form the right hygiene habits in the child and ensure the perfect health of his future adult smile.