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Teething can be family-related, so if you are worried that your child is not teething yet or, on the contrary, has more teeth than his peers, find out at what age the first teeth appeared on you and your baby's father.

How do you know thatbabyhas started teething and how do you ease the pain it causes? These and other questions are answered by Dr. Małgorzata Gołkowska, a pediatrician and neonatologist from the Children's Memorial He alth Institute in Warsaw.

1. When do babies start teething?

It is always an individual matter. Some toddlers get their first tooth already in the fifth month of life, others - only around their first birthday. Both early and lateteethingcan have a family condition, so if you are worried that your baby has noteethor far more than peers, find out at what age the first teeth appeared on you and your husband.

2. How can you tell if your child's teeth have started to erupt?

Gums usually itch before the first tooth comes out. The baby begins to put the hands in his mouth and everything that is within their reach. Profuse drooling is also often the first symptom of teething. If you look inside your baby's mouth, you will see that the gums are fluffy and red. When the teeth are close, the baby may be tearful - the gums then become very sensitive and hurt. The first symptoms of teething can be noticed already in the third or fourth month of life, and this condition may persist for several months.

3. Do the teeth always erupt in the same order?

The bottom ones usually appear first. However, this is not a rule, so it may happen that the first 2 or the top 1s come out in a child.

4. What to do if your baby is drooling during teething?

Saliva can irritate the skin on the face, so if there is a lot of it, gently dry the baby's mouth and chin area. Reddened areas can be smeared with fatty baby cream. To protect the clothes, it is worth wearing a bib.

5. How to help your baby when he cries

The child is crying because he has pain in his gums, which are pierced by erupting teeth. Pain can be relieved in several ways, for example by giving your toddler a cold, water-filled teether. Before we hand it overbaby, you need to cool it in the refrigerator (not in the freezer - a baby with a frozen teether could damage its mucosa or frostbite its hands). Instead of a teether, you can give your child something else, such as a special chewing rattle for teething babies, with a part filled with chilled gel. An effective way to alleviate the discomfort is to coat the gums with a special teething gel, which you can buy at a pharmacy. Such a preparation relieves pain, so the little one will quickly feel relief after applying the gel. The gel may also have an anti-inflammatory effect. The child should also be helped by a gentle massage of the gums - you need to wash your hands and press your index finger a little, centimeter by centimeter, the gum in which the tooth is erupting, or use a silicone overlay to put on the finger.

Check the teething calendar

Problem

In 2014, the FDA (American Food and Drug Administration) announced on its website a message that serious side effects had been noted in young children who had been treated with 2% lidocaine gel. They were probably related to the wrong dosage of the preparation, because lidocaine anesthetizes, but only for a short time (15-30 minutes), so parents tend to lubricate the child's gums too often. The gel may travel with saliva anesthetizing the esophagus, thereby weakening the coughing reflex and increasing the risk of choking.

6. How often can I use the pain relief gel while teething?

Not more often than the manufacturer recommends on the packaging. Overdosing or improper use may harm the baby.

7. Do you need to take care of hygiene in any particular way during teething?

Yes, because the teething baby puts everything in his mouth. Items he comes into contact with, such as toys or rattles, must be washed frequently and carefully. You should wash your child's hands several times a day, and twice a day - wipe the child's gums with a damp gauze pad. When the first milk tooth appears, we care for it twice a day with a special silicone brush for the first teeth. You don't need to use toothpaste yet - such a small child can't spit it out yet.

According to an expertMaciej Nowak, MD, PhD, periodontist, dentist, lecturer at the Medical University of Warsaw

"During teething, a toddler's spongy gums are particularly prone to infection. It is very important then not to lead to bacterial, fungal or viral infections between the child and their caregivers.

It is unacceptable for an adult to lick a teaspoon or a teat on a child, to try with the same spoon to see if the given food is at the right temperature or to kiss the child on the mouth. "

8. Do teethinga child who has lost his appetite must be forced to eat?

You shouldn't force anything. The reason for the reluctance to eat is probably sore gums, which hurt even more when suckling. Instead of getting nervous, it's better to smear your gums with a little teething gel before feeding. If that doesn't help, try giving your baby milk with a spoon.

9. What if my teething baby has an elevated temperature?

It depends on how high the temperature is and whether the child has any other symptoms. If the temperature is below 38ºC, there is usually nothing to worry about. However, if it is higher or the child has a cough, is vomiting or has diarrhea - contact a doctor. Importantly, some teething medications must not be used with painkillers or antipyretics without consulting a doctor.

"M jak mama" monthly

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