Baby’s First Tooth: Facts for parents
A baby’s first tooth is a major milestone but can cause some parents distress. Between the ages of 4-6 months your little angel might start teething and unfortunately won’t be able to tell you. At first, you baby might develop fussiness and sleeplessness. They may even exhibit signs of irritability and cries that nothing may soothe. Don’t worry, there are tips and ways to calm even a fussy teething baby so that you can enjoy your sleep again!
Baby’s First Tooth
When you baby reaches roughly 4 months they may start to exhibit signs of teething by displaying behaviour changes. However, we also advise parents to check their babies gums during this time. Teeth will start to erupt through the gums and this is usually when the baby will notice pain and discomfort. The first of these teeth are usually the bottom incisors. After these the top 4 front teeth may start to come in. Before long, the rest of the teeth begin to show and the process can last from 4 months to 3 years of age.
Important to note is that once the first tooth erupts, the ones that follow exhibit no signs of pain. The first eruption of teeth through the gums tends to be the most painful but babies tend not to notice the others as much.
What you can do to soothe your baby’s first tooth
Once you notice your babies first tooth the best thing you can do is to gently massage the gums with a clean cold cloth. The pain the baby feels is from the gums being sore and inflamed. We even suggest a cold gauze or cold spoon to place on the gums.
Cleaning your babies pacifier may also help but avoid plastic beads and any BPA products for your baby. You don’t have to invest in expensive products or gimmicks. Keep it simple and easy. If your baby is able to grab objects they will also try and put things in their mouths at this stage to self soothe. Make sure your baby does not have access to objects laying around that may cause themselves harm. As a last resort, a small dose of baby advil may ease the pain but please speak with your doctor first.
When to see a doctor
Although the process of teething can be minimal for most babies, there are signs that all parents should watch out for. If your baby develops diarrhea, a rash, high fever or unexplained vomiting please call your doctor right away.
When to see your dentist
All children should see their local dentist by the time they get all their teeth. However, if you suspect something may be causing your baby more problems than just teething you may bring them in for a visit.
Should you have any questions or concerns about your babies oral health our team is here to help. Our clinic is conveniently in the heart of the beltline in downtown Calgary and we offer many services to help your family get their best smiles.