Common Questions asked about baby’s erupting teeth

baby teethWhat is teeth eruption

  1. Teeth eruption is the process during which teeth grow through the jaw bone and pierces the gum and the tooth enters into the mouth.
  2. Teeth eruption happens for both baby teeth eruption and permanent teeth eruption.
  3. Teeth eruption occurs all throughout our lives, this is because teeth in the mouth are always moving and never stagnant. However, the movements are of course very small.

What is teething

  1. Teething as the name suggest, it is a process related to the tooth. Teething is the final stage of the baby tooth eruption process.
    It is during this time that the baby teeth cuts through the gum and can be seen in the mouth.
  2. The baby will eventually have ten baby teeth in each jaw, making a total of twenty baby teeth in the mouth.

What are the symptoms of teething

  • The main symptoms of teething baby’s are:
    1. The gum over the erupting tooth is swollen and red.
    2. A spot of blood may be found where the erupting tooth pierces through the gum.
    3. The cheek on the side of the erupting tooth can appear flushed.
    4. There may be more drooling of saliva than usual.
    5. The baby might develop urges to bite on objects, therefore a specific biting toy might be recommended to relief the baby.
    6. General irritability of the baby is common. The baby might appear more grumpy or just look more down than usual.
    7. Disturbed sleeping patterns due to the irritation of the tooth erupting.
    8. Sometimes , diarrhea and fever accompany teething.

How to manage a teething baby

  1. You can gently massage the gum with your finger. Ensure your finger is cleaned properly before the massage.
  2. A pacifier may have a soothing effect as the baby can suck and maybe chew on it to sort of scratch the itch.
  3. The baby’s need to bite on something hard can be satisfied with a teething ring or a sugar-free rusk.
  4. A sugar free analgesic for babies will lessen the pain and help to settle the baby. However, consult your doctor before following this method.

baby teethWhat influences the position of the teeth in the mouth

  • The position of the baby teeth and the permanent teeth are influences by the structures and the action of the structures in the mouth :
    1. The tongue exerts an outward pressure on the teeth.
    2. The lips and cheeks provide a balancing inward force.
    3. This space in between the tongue and the cheeks are called the neutral zone in which the baby teeth sits.
  • Another factor that influence the position of the baby teeth and the permanent teeth is the habitual factors :
    1. Thumb sucking habit is very normal in babies. By the age of around nine months, the baby should have stopped the habit already.If the habit is not kicked, it will cause prominent teeth. This is not a problem until after the baby teeth have fallen out and the permanent teeth are coming through. At this stage, thumb-sucking can force teeth forward into a more prominent position, as well as damage the growth and formation of the upper palate (roof of the mouth). However, research and dentists agree that thumb-sucking as a baby or toddler will not have any lasting effect on your child’s teeth. The extended usage of pacifiers can have the same effect as thumb sucking.

Why is there spacing in between the baby teeth

  1. First of all, having the spacing is normal . This space is called the primary space. This primary space is there to compensate for the larger dimension of the permanent teeth which are going to erupt.

When should parents brush their baby’s teeth

  1. Ideally , the parents should brush their child’s teeth when the first tooth erupts in the mouth. That is around six months of age.
  2. Brushing should be carried out after each feeding.
  3. If the tooth brush size is too big, the parents can opt to buy a gauze sold in pharmacies. The gauze can be moistened with water and rubbed on the baby teeth.

baby teethHow does baby teeth play a vital role in the development of the permanent teeth

  1. reserve space in the mouth for their permanent teeth counterparts.
  2. gives the developing child’s face its normal appearance, without it, the face may not grow according to its correct proportions.
  3. is vital in the development of speech in children.
  4. help children attain good nutrition with balanced diet. With the baby teeth, the baby can chew and add more varieties of food into their diets.
  5. gives a healthy start to the permanent teeth. This is so because any decay and infection in baby teeth can cause dark spots on the permanent teeth developing beneath it.

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