Teething - Teething and Eruption

Teething - Teething and Eruption

What is teething?

• Teething is the final stage of the eruption process.

• It is during this time that the teeth of infants cut through the gum and become visible in the mouth.

• The baby will eventually have ten teeth in each jaw, making a total of twenty teeth in the mouth.

             

 Teething "cutting through"                                                                      

                                                               1 year later

What is eruption?

• Eruption is the process during which teeth grow through bone and push through the gum into the mouth.

Permanent tooth
growing under baby tooth 

 

What are the signs of teething?

• The main signs of teething are:
• The gum over the erupting tooth can be swollen and red.
• A spot of blood may be found where the tooth "cuts" through the gum.
• The cheek on the side of the erupting tooth can appear flushed.
• There may be more dribbling than usual.
• The baby has the need to bite on a hard object.
• General irritability.
• Disturbed sleeping patterns.
• Diarrhoea and fever do not necessarily accompany teething.

Red swollen gum  over 

erupting tooth

How to comfort a teething baby

• Gently massage the gum with a clean finger.
• A dummy (pacifier) may have a soothing effect.
• The baby's need to bite on something hard can be satisfied with a teething ring or a sugar-free rusk.
• A sugar-free