A lot of things happen when a child begins teething. There is a large shift in a baby’s overall temperament. It’s said that teething is a happy as well as scary condition for parents. They are happy to see the teeth of their child but feel sad about their discomfort.
Many parents think that they can do nothing as teething is a natural process. The pain and discomfort will be there and the entire teething phase will not be good. But, this is just a misconception. With a few simple tips, you can make the teething process comfortable for your child. But, before that, you should understand a few details about teething.
What are the common signs that the teething process has begun?
- Excessive drooling
- Inflamed gums
- Irritability
- Loss of appetite
- Disturbed sleep
- A rash around the mouth
- Ear rubbing
- Increased biting
- Gum rubbing
What are the two major teething misconceptions?
Diarrhea and fever are common teething symptoms– During teething, the immune systems of children weaken, leaving them prone to sickness. Due to weakness, children suffer from diarrhea and fever. So, people often correlate them. But, the fact is teething and other ailments are separate conditions and they should be treated separately.
Babies sleep more when they are teething– The fact is the opposite. Due to discomfort, babies lose sleep. Sometimes, they stay awake for several nights and behave in an irritated manner. If your child is sleeping more than normal during teething, Piedmont pediatric dentistry becomes crucial. The dentist will explain the actual reason.
What are the tips to help your teething baby?
You should massage the gums
Gum massage will relieve your child from some irritation and inflammation. To massage the gums, you should gently apply pressure along your baby’s gums with your thoroughly clean hands. Another way for gum massage is textured teething rings.
You should cool down the gums
Inflammation and pain associated with teething can be reduced by cooling down the gums. For this, you should dampen a clean washcloth in water and put it in the fridge. Once the cloth gets cooled down, you should let your baby chew it.
Other than this, you should use cold fruits or milk popsicles to soothe the gums. But, make sure these things don’t contain any toxic elements. You should implement this technique only if your child has been exposed to solid foods.
Last, you should cool down the teething toy in the refrigerator. This will numb some of the pain your baby is experiencing.
You should keep your child’s mouth clear of excess saliva
Teething changes the functioning of salivary glands. Excess production of salivary glands takes place and they become more active. The surprising part is they gear up to handle more difficult food items.
The mouth of your baby should be clear of excess saliva. This will avoid the discomfort caused due to the rash around the mouth.
You should give over-the-counter pain medicine
When the pain is severe, none of the above-mentioned tips work. In this condition, you should give an over-the-counter pain medicine. The pain medicine will alleviate the discomfort. As there are multiple pain medicines on the market, seek help from a pediatric dentist to know the right medicine and dosage.
Pediatric dentistry is important, especially when your child begins teething. So, visit the dentist before taking any major step.