Not a Happy Chappie? (Teething in General)

Name: pearlydewdrop

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Product:	Teething in General
Date:	18.07.08 (97 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Maybe some nice pearly whites

Disadvantages: Pain, discomfort, restless baby, general upset, and sleeplessness

Teething is a natural stage of physical development that all healthy babies go through. The unfortunate thing about it is that the signs of teething and the symptoms endured can be both varied and ambigious. Some little ones suffer very little, and make few complaints, whilst others experience extreme discomfort- even pain, as their teeth erupt.

Sadly, it is practically impossible to explain to a young baby why they must endure this miserable phase, and they arent able to understand reason at this age. The best that can be done is give them plenty of comfort, in the form of cuddles, painkilling remedies (medicinal, herbal, or in the form of 'teethers'), and plenty of fluids to replace those lost through copious drooling.



~What is Teething?~
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Teething rate varies between babies. Some infants are born with a couple of teeth, whilst others dont get a tooth until they are 6 or 7 months, or even later sometimes. My daughter got her first tooth at 8 months, and then they came thick and fast. I actually lost track.

The more difficult teeth, pain and discomfort wise, are the dreaded molars- we, as adults, know this because of the trauma of wisdom teeth! Molars are obviously more problematic for babies than incisors, because they have more edges to cut through the gum and they are denser. Molars often make a first appearance between the ages of thirteen and eighteen months.



~What are the Signs of Teething?~
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Teething and teething pain are two separate issues. Teething babies who dont suffer particularly badly may just experience a bit of general upset or restlessness. They may drool more than usual, and gnaw at their bottle teat, dummy, or toys. Their hands and fingers may be thrust into their mouths a lot of the time in an effort to tease the teeth through the gum. The rubbing motion may ease the irritation of cutting teeth. When my daughter was teething, very often she seemed to be aggrivated by her teeth- like her gums were itching or burning with the friction of the teeth moving beneath the gum. The point just before they actually cut seems to be the most acute time for true pain, and relief is felt when the tooth actually surfaces.


*Teething Pain/Upset*


These symptoms could signify teething trouble:


- Flushed cheeks, often hot to the touch

- Rubbing of the ears, with the fists

- A runny nose/ saliva drooling from the mouth

- Runny stools ( from general upset or from putting mucky hands in their mouth alot to soothe discomfort)

- Restless/ disturbed sleep

- Whinging/ Crying/ Moaning/ Fretfulness



~Remedies for Teething~
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Obvio usly the older the baby, the more scope you have for remedies. Old remedies include:


*Rubbing the gum with your clean wet finger*

*Teething biscuits such as 'Bickie Pegs'* Suitable from 6 months



I found the following very helpful:


*Topical Teething Gels* (Dentinox, Calgel, Bonjela all mild local anaesethics)

*Teethers* Especially the ones that are cooled in the refridgerator

*Nurofen for Children or Calpol for Infants* (Particularly at night-time)

*Chamomile Sachets* (I bought these for my daughter from Boots.)



So, there you have it. Teethting is a miserable old affair, but the main thing is to be on hand for your baby with lots of cuddles and love. Distraction and plenty of rest should help too.

Thanks for reading! x

Summary: This is a horrible ordeal for both parents and babies, but a necessary one!