Timing and order of teeth appearance
Typically, the lower central incisors appear first, followed by the upper central incisors, then the lateral incisors, first molars, canines, and second molars. By the age of three, the primary dentition is usually fully formed. Approximate calculation for the first year: approximately the number of months minus four gives the number of teeth, but this is a very rough estimate. A deviation of several months in any direction is normal if the child is otherwise developing well. It is not the date that is important, but the symmetry: teeth usually erupt in pairs.
- 6–10 months – lower central incisors
- 8–12 months – upper central incisors
- 9–13 months – lateral incisors
- 13–19 months – first molars
- 16–22 months – canines
- 23–33 months – second molars
- By 3 years – all 20 baby teeth
What symptoms are really related to teeth?
Local manifestations are reliably associated with teething: swelling and soreness of the gums, excessive salivation, the desire to put fingers and objects in the mouth, irritability, restless sleep and loss of appetite. A slight increase in temperature is possible, usually no higher than 38 °C and no longer than a day or two. Constant saliva may cause irritation of the skin around the mouth and chin. All these symptoms last for several days before the tooth appears and quickly disappear after.
- Swollen and painful gums
- Excessive drooling
- Desire to chew on objects
- Anxiety and poor sleep
- Decreased appetite, breast refusal due to pain
- Slight increase in temperature
- Skin irritation around the mouth
What teeth don't explain
This is the most important point, because attributing any symptoms to teeth leads to dangerous delays. Teething does not cause a temperature above 38.5 °C, repeated vomiting, profuse watery diarrhea, a rash on the body, cough and runny nose with purulent discharge. The coincidence can be explained simply: from about six months onwards, the child’s level of antibodies received from the mother decreases, he more actively puts objects into his mouth, and the frequency of infections naturally increases. With such symptoms, you need a doctor’s examination, and not gum gels.
- High fever above 38.5°C
- Vomiting and profuse diarrhea
- Rash on the body
- Cough, shortness of breath, runny nose
- Cramps and severe lethargy
- Refusal to drink and signs of dehydration
How to help a child
Simple mechanical methods work best: applying pressure to the gum reduces pain. A refrigerated but not frozen teether, a clean damp towel, and a gentle massage of the gums with a clean finger will do. A child over six months old can be given a piece of cool vegetable or fruit to chew on under constant supervision due to the risk of choking. If anxiety is severe, the pediatrician may recommend antipyretic and age-appropriate pain relievers. Gels with anesthetic components are used with caution and only as prescribed by a doctor.
- Chilled teether (not from the freezer)
- Massage the gums with a clean finger
- Cool wet towel
- Drink plenty of fluids and soft, cool foods
- Painkillers according to age - as recommended by the pediatrician
- Do not rub honey, alcohol, aspirin or folk remedies into the gums
- Do not use amber beads - risk of suffocation
Caring for your first teeth
You need to brush the first tooth that has erupted - twice a day with a soft brush with a paste containing fluoride, in an amount the size of a grain of rice, and after three years - the size of a pea. Before teeth appear, the mucous membrane can be wiped with a clean, damp cloth. The key point of prevention is giving up a bottle of sweet drinks at night and the habit of putting the child to bed with a bottle: this is the main cause of early multiple caries. The first visit to the dentist is planned within six months after the appearance of the first tooth, but no later than a year.
- Brush your teeth twice a day from the first teething
- Fluoride paste: grain of rice up to 3 years, pea after
- Do not give a bottle of sweet drinks at night
- Do not lick your baby's pacifier or spoon
- Limit sugary drinks and juices
- First visit to the dentist - up to a year