Teething Pain – What You Should Know

There is nothing more difficult for a parent than watching their child be in pain! Unfortunately, every parent gets a dose of this early on, once your child begins teething. It’s a natural and expected process, but it will still cause a fair amount of discomfort for baby and anxiety for you!

Here are a few things you should know in order to help your child through this painful transition:

• Teething begins at different times for each child. Most of the time, you’ll begin to notice teeth erupting (coming through) in your child’s mouth between six and nine months old. However, we’ve also seen some children teething at three months and some as late as a year old. Regardless of when they begin teething, their baby teeth are usually all present by age 3.
• Symptoms and their intensity are also different for each child. As teeth gradually break through the gums, your child will exhibit teething symptoms. These can include irritability, excess drooling, gum swelling, chin rash (from increased saliva flow), biting or gnawing on things, or rubbing their ears. They may also exhibit behavior changes like decreased appetite or restless sleep. They may vary from mildly irritating, to what seems like intense discomfort for your child. But they are all normal symptoms, as distressing as they seem. You’ll notice the symptoms increase about four days before a tooth erupts all they’ll last until about three days afterward.
• Diarrhea, rashes or fever aren’t normal. You may hear that these symptoms are typical, but they may actually indicate some other sickness or condition, which can easily be disguised as teething during a teething episode. If your child exhibits any of these symptoms you should call their pediatrician to rule out a more serious issue.
• There are a few things you can do to relieve your child’s pain during teething. First of all, keep things cool! Let your child chew on chilled (but not completely frozen) items like wet washcloths, teething rings, or pacifiers, to reduce swelling and pain. Massaging their gums with your (clean!) finger may help to counteract the pressure from the erupting tooth. And, if your doctor advises it, pain relievers in the proper dosage may also help alleviate discomfort.

Your child should begin seeing a dentist by either their first birthday, or once their first tooth erupts – whichever comes first! To make an appointment with one of our skilled pediatric dentists, please contact Firestone Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics, located in Firestone, CO!