Teething in infants: photos, stages, symptoms

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

For most parents, the time of teething in a child is one of the most difficult moments, which is mainly accompanied by symptoms that are unpleasant for the baby. How to help the baby with this? What are the symptoms and stages of teething in infants? Photos of the first incisors and information on how to facilitate the process - all this will be presented in the article.

Factors that affect teething

In a baby, the appearance of the first teeth is associated with a genetic factor, as well as other reasons, including:

• features of the course of pregnancy;
• climate;
• diseases that the child suffered at the very beginning of life;
• complications during childbirth;
• quality of drinking water.

When do teeth erupt?

In infants, teething has its own schedule:

• At about 6-9 months, the lower teeth appear.
• Teething of upper teethbabies (see photo in the article below) occurs at 7-10 months.
• Side teeth - at 9-12 months.
• Molar lower and upper teeth appear at 12-19 months.
• Fangs appear at 16-22 months.
• Second molars at 20-36 months.

A child has about 20 teeth by the age of three, while permanent teeth gradually appear by the age of 6. It is interesting that a person has 8-12 teeth - permanent, and about 20 teeth change during life. These figures are conditional, since it is not known whether the child will have “wisdom teeth”. Often they do not erupt due to the structure of the baby's jaw. It is also worth considering that these are approximate data, since we are all individual.

Dentists believe that the eruption of the upper teeth in infants (photo of the gums can be seen in this article), as well as the lower ones, is directly related to the moment at which the 1st milk tooth appeared. Moreover, if not a single tooth has come out in a baby under a year old, one can declare the presence of diseases. It happens that 4 teeth erupt at the same time. This is normal, so there is no need to worry in this case.

Symptoms of teething in infants, photo

There are a number of symptoms to tell if your baby is teething:

• sleep disorders;
• capriciousness;
• redness in the mouth;
• biting while breastfeeding;
• indigestion;
• increase in body temperature;
• gum swelling;
• increased salivation;
• desire to grab everything,bite, gnaw;
• loss of appetite;
• runny nose;
• discomfort and itching;
• vomit.

If you have these symptoms, you should call a pediatrician at home. The specialist will examine the child, explain on the spot what teething looks like in infants, the photo of which is given in the article below, and also make a diagnosis, since some infectious disease is often masked behind this process. In the vulnerable body of babies, the virus multiplies easily, which may eventually be characterized by the presence of the above symptoms. At the same time, self-medication can do harm.

Helping baby teething

If, after looking at the photo of the teething of the first teeth in infants, you determined that this is exactly what your doctor also confirmed, certain measures can be taken to ease his condition.

First, you need to abandon the various "grandmother's" methods - scratching with sugar, spoon handle or crust of bread so irritated gums. You need to understand that this can cause real harm to the he alth of the baby. Sugar provokes the development of caries, and can also damage the gums of the child, while flour products easily enter the respiratory tract. In pharmacies, there are special devices used for teething in infants (photos of the lower and upper first teeth below). They are made of flexible silicone or polymer. Such teethers may have a gel filler that has a cooling effect or a reliefsurface. They help the baby cope with quite unpleasant sensations. You can also use gauze swabs pre-soaked in plain cool water. They also help to improve the condition of the baby.

Never use alcohol-based preparations. Tablets are also not suitable for a child. The use of medications should be discussed with the doctor. In addition, there are many gels that alleviate the suffering of the crumbs. And if, after looking at the photo of the gums before teething in the baby, you realized that the same thing is happening to your baby, then perhaps it's time to start helping him using some of the listed means.

Your baby's chewing needs can be met with a regular pacifier. If you weaned the baby from it, or didn’t give it initially, then you shouldn’t start, because the result may be an incorrect bite.

Itching will help to cope with a fingertip brush (pictured). The gums during teething in infants are very itchy, but the brush allows you to perform 2 functions at the same time - massage the gums and clean the oral cavity.

Medications

At the moment, the pharmaceutical industry has stepped far ahead in the development of all kinds of decongestants, painkillers and cooling drugs to help with teething in infants. Photos of the gums of the lower and upper swollen gums, by the way, you can see in this article. Some of the drugs do not give a tangible result, however, there are thosewhich help with itching very effectively:

• "Mundizal";
• "Dentinox";
• Cholisal;
• Kalgel;
• Kamistad.

"Doctor Baby" is suitable for allergies to lidocaine. And if the child has wounds, you can use Solcoseryl.

In addition, Viburkol will help relieve pain during teething in infants. This drug is homeopathic. The product is made in the form of candles enriched with various herbal ingredients. The drug perfectly soothes, anesthetizes and reduces fever.

Panadol Baby can be used as an antipyretic. It is one of the most popular and effective drugs. The main ingredient is paracetamol. The drug in suppositories can be used for infants, and in the form of a syrup - for older children.

Use Nurofen Suspension to provide a calming effect and reduce fever. True, this remedy is not suitable for long-term use.

Working ahead of the curve

Part of the problems can be avoided, however, due to lack of experience, parents periodically neglect important points. As a result, the baby suffers from the development of purulent processes, inflammation of the gums, allergies and rashes.

Suppuration and inflammation

Basically, such symptoms are not of great danger, but examination and consultation with a specialist are mandatory. Cope with inflammation of the gums during teething in infants (photo of the firstteeth presented in this article) is possible with regular and proper oral care. Doctors generally advise treating them with herbal decoction, for which a gauze swab should be moistened in a decoction of calendula, sage, or chamomile decoction. This procedure makes it possible to eliminate inflammation, as well as lower the level of microorganisms that provoke them.

Skin rashes and allergies

These symptoms may occur due to the use of the gel during teething in infants. Such drugs are divided into groups:

• antiseptic;
• painkillers;
• homeopathic.

If the teething gel contains lidocaine in its composition, then this may be the cause of the allergy. The drug should no longer be used, while soreness can be relieved with herbal gels.

It's easier to deal with problems if you start "working ahead". To do this, you should follow these recommendations:

• it is better to entrust the selection of the gel to a doctor who will assess the condition of the oral cavity at a professional level;
• use a teething gel if other means and methods to alleviate the condition have been ineffective, and the baby's condition is only getting worse;
• if after using the remedy you notice negative reactions in the crumbs, you must stop using it and make an appointment with the doctor for an examination.

Gel isAn extreme option, which should be resorted to to alleviate the condition of the baby. If you have already tried all other methods of eliminating discomfort in a crumb, you can only then think about the advisability of using it.

Do not allow painkillers to be used immediately when a child screams or squeaks, as this violates his immunity. You can follow elementary recommendations to make teething in babies easier.

Important points

After the baby's teething is over, you can see the gaps between his teeth. They appear after 4 years. This is an irreversible process that prepares the baby for the growth of permanent teeth, since they are larger in size than milk teeth. At the same time, the absence of gaps leads to crowding of permanent teeth, and this will already require treatment.

In addition, experts have developed a system of recommendations for parents during teething:

• place a saliva-absorbing tissue under your baby's head;
• wipe the baby's chin with a soft towel - in this case, the saliva will not cause irritation on the skin, while doing this should be done gently, slightly blotting the saliva;
• Children over a year and a half can use a toothbrush designed specifically for brushing teeth;
• after the teeth appear, they should be taken care of.

Complications

It happens that teething ends in complications. This is primarily about early caries.

Others include enamel hypoplasia. Giventhe disease manifests itself in the form of pits, spots, stripes and grooves on the enamel. Hypoplasia is difficult to attribute to frequent phenomena, however, it can be.

The main number of complications appears due to problems that arise during pregnancy, in addition, diseases that the expectant mother suffered when carrying a baby. Therefore, a mother needs to be attentive to her own he alth: eat right, consult a doctor if you feel unwell, and in case of illness, observe only bed rest.

The condition of the teeth is negatively affected by feeding with artificial mixtures. It should be noted that natural milk provides the baby with useful substances necessary for him, which form the body's defenses and participate in development and growth.

Features

The appearance of gaps is far from the only feature when teething. There are also other points, for example, the acquisition of a color by the neck or tooth:

1. The acquisition of yellowish-brown teeth indicates the impact of antibiotic therapy. Probably, during pregnancy you used antibiotics, or maybe now the baby is being treated with them?
2. If the edging of the tooth has turned black, this probably indicates an inflammatory process or the use of iron-containing drugs.
3. If the enamel has become a reddish tint, then the baby's porphyrin (pigment) metabolism is disturbed.
4. The yellowish-green color of the teeth indicates the destruction of red blood cells. It should be noted that this is veryserious condition that requires treatment and preliminary qualified examination.
5. Abnormal processes regarding the position of the teeth.
6. Bite problems.
7. Long absence of teeth.

In the presence of the above deviations, it is necessary to show the baby to the doctor. In the natural course of the process, the first visit to the dentist should be carried out in a year.

Unusual situations

It should be said that some situations speak about the pathologies that occur during teething. In order to eliminate them in a timely manner, you should have complete information. The following signs indicate the presence of pathologies:

• breaking the sequence;
• failures in the period of teething;
• incorrect formation of one tooth or teeth (size, color characteristics, thin enamel coating);
• appearance of teeth outside the arch of the row of teeth;
• appearance of teeth in the womb.

FAQ

Of course, the topic of teething worries all parents, because they understand the seriousness of this situation. Caring parents on this occasion ask a huge number of questions, consider the most common.

What to do if teething is delayed? It must be said that this is an individual process, but you can go to the doctor for advice. Only he can talk about the absence or presence of pathologies.

The later the first teeth will appear in the baby, the he althier they will be? The time of the appearance of teeth has nothing to do with their he alth,therefore, this statement is not true.

Is it possible to accelerate the eruption of milk teeth? The only really effective way is gum massage. It must be done gently and carefully.

Does bad breath have to do with teething? Experts believe that this is interconnected, since the decomposition of the mucosa occurs. Although it is better to consult a doctor, since the smell can also be associated with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

What measures to take if the temperature rises? A slight increase in body temperature is the norm if the baby is teething. True, if the thermometer is about 40, then we are talking about a viral infection, therefore, it is necessary to invite a doctor.

Caries Prevention

From the very first months of life, it is necessary to take care of the he alth of the baby, of his teeth in particular. So, you do not need to lick the baby nipple so that your bacteria do not get on the mucous membrane of the crumbs.

The next step is to reduce the amount of sugar in your baby's food. Sugar provokes caries, destroys tooth enamel.

Get your baby in the habit of drinking some water after feeding. And at 2 years old, he can already rinse his mouth freely after eating.

Teach your baby to go to the dentist. The first visit should be when he is one year old. And then each visit should be once every six months.

Brushing teeth

Brushing a baby's teeth is a real competition for some parents, because sometimes a child grits his teeth and defiantly refuses toprocedures. Therefore, try to turn it all into a game. Buy a nice toothbrush for this, ask him to brush your teeth, after which you will do the same for him.

Pay also attention to pastas. At the present moment, there are a huge number of pastes for children that have a pleasant aroma and taste. The kid will be happy to brush his teeth with such products.