Teething Tips

Baby Teething – Teething Timeline
Baby Teething Tips – Signs and Symptoms of Teething
Baby Teething Tips – Managing Teething Symptoms

Baby Teething – Teething Timeline

By Colleen Hurley, RD, Certified Kid’s Nutrition Specialist

The teething process takes quite a bit of time. The thought of that might have some mums reaching for the pain reliever for themselves, especially if baby is extra fussy right now. No need to worry though, it does get easier and is quite a milestone in baby development. Before delving into the many other aspects of teething, let’s start with the basic teething timeline, or the order in which those new teeth will be arriving. Remember, no two babies are alike so teething is different for every baby. The order of tooth succession will be generally predictable, but your baby will likely have her own teething timeline.

Starting Point

Teething generally begins around 6 months of age and lasts until age 2. Some babies may start earlier, around 4 months, while other may not start teething until 6 or 7 months. Teeth tend to come it two’s, but some babies can get several at once or just one at a time. On average, teeth arrive at a rate of about 1 per month once the first tooth appears. Just like everything else going on during the first 2 years, you can’t judge your baby’s progress by looking at others- save yourself the trouble and don’t even go there. Your baby will develop teeth when he is ready, and whether you’re ready or not.

Here is the basic teething timeline:

• 5-7 months: The first 2 central incisors (cutters), those cute front and center teeth, typically the bottoms ones arrive first shortly followed by the top
• 8-9 months: the second set, on top of central incisors
• 1 year: the two lateral upper incisors – right on either side of the 2 that arrived first for a grand total of about 6 teeth during the first year shortly followed by the bottom incisors

Pause: yes, thank goodness, both parents and baby may get a little teething break.

• 13 months: the first molars erupt
• 15-20 months: four canine teeth or eye teeth arrive between the molars and the central incisors
• 2 years: these second set of molars are often called the 2 year molars as they tend to arrive around baby’s second birthday

Baby Teething Tips – Signs and Symptoms of Teething

By Colleen Hurley, RD, Certified Kid’s Nutrition Specialist

So you have finally gotten your baby to sleep through the night then – wham! For some inexplicable reason you feel back to square one as your baby starts waking up in the middle of the night. One good explanation, especially at around 6 months, is teething. Teething presents with a myriad of symptoms and varies from baby to baby. Some babies breeze through teething while for others it is a rather miserable experience.

The first rule of teething symptoms is to be sure its not something else. Lots of fussy, sleepless, whining behaviors just get chalked up to teething when it could be something else. Some teething symptoms including fever, pulling at the ears or cheeks, runny nose, or diarrhea could also be signs of a cold or infection. Just check with your doctor to make sure your child doesn’t have a cold, the flu, or something else going on before assuming those are teething symptoms. While teething can be trying, it usually doesn’t account for hours of screaming, weeks of not sleeping, high fevers, or severe rashes (both facial and diaper) so be sure to check with your pediatrician.

Physical Signs

The first place to start your investigation is the obvious – check your baby’s gums. Red, swollen, and puffy gums are signs the first teeth are trying to break through. You may even see a little spec of the tooth, and if this is the case you can’t deny it even looks painful so no wonder she isn’t her cheerful self right now! Another obvious symptom is that he is probably gnawing on anything he can get his hands on and chewing away with reckless abandon. From the side of the crib, to toys, to even a sibling or parent; this when babies begin putting everything in their mouths only at this stage they bite – hard. This is also when babies tend to drool quite a bit, leaving slobber on all of the above things they try to chew on, and could result in a small rash around the mouth or chin.

Behavior Signs

Some behavioral signs of teething include:

• Irritability
• Sleeplessness
• Decreased appetite
• Increased ‘clinginess’ to parents
• Refusal of breast or bottle

If you’ve read the Teething Timeline, you may be thinking – this is going to last for 1.5 years? The answer is no. Most parents who’ve survived the process (yes, that means you will too) agree that the symptoms are worst when the first teeth break through and then when the molars arrive. Babies learn to tolerate or get used to the sensation of cutting teeth. Also, many of the teething symptoms disappear within a few days.

Baby Teething Tips – Managing Teething Symptoms

By Colleen Hurley, RD, Certified Kid’s Nutrition Specialist

As part of the teething series, managing teething symptoms could arguably be the most poignant for parents because most moms and dads often feel at loss as to how to make their teething baby feel better. Here are some tips for managing teething symptoms:

Rule Out Mirrored Teething Symptoms

The first and most important step in managing teething symptoms is to be sure those symptoms are indeed teething. Lots of symptoms get lumped into a general teething categorybut could also be signs of a cold or illness. If symptoms persist or worsen, or fever continues to climb, do not assume it is teething and call your pediatrician.

Home Teething Remedies

There are a lot of simple tools around the house to help manage teething symptoms including:

• Cold washcloth: run a cold washcloth under cold water or place in the freezer for a minutes and be sure to wash after each use
• Teething ring: a bpa free teething ring feels good on swollen gums but avoid ones with liquid inside because they may break. Also, if you put one in the freezer make sure make sure it is not frozen solid because this can bruise already irritated gums so the fridge is a better place for storage
• Clean fingers: wash hands first, then run a clean finger over baby’s gums
• Cold foods: if eating solid foods, try giving a chilled mashed banana or avocado
• Teething biscuits: opt for a food allergen free first teething biscuit
• TLC: good old fashioned tender loving care in the form of extra hugs and cuddling

Over the Counter Teething Remedies

There are several over the counter teething remedies on the market that may also provide some relief:

• Teething gels: often debated, baby teething gels can provide temporary relief but can also leave baby objecting to the strange sensation of a numb mouth and run the risk of an allergic reaction
• Pain relievers: should be a last resort and should not be used without consulting your physician first
• Homeopathic remedies: increasing in popularity, homeopathic teething remedies may also provide relief and are generally non-toxic however, little is documented about their efficacy (since babies cant’ speak) so they should only be used under the guidance of a health care professional

Coping with Teething Irritability

For all those other fussy, behavioral symptoms first make sure you are ok. It’s not easy to cope with a fussy, crying baby so take a deep breath and try to relax. Your baby will feel tense if you are tense so alternate ’rounds’ with your partner or enlist the help of grandparents, aunts, uncles, or babysitters so that you don’t get too burnt out.

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