#asktheexpert tips for teething

Question

#asktheexpert  tips for teething

Accepted Answer

Massaging your baby’s gums when he is teething is a great way of alleviating the pain and irritation.Simply wash your hands thoroughly and wipe them dry. Then use your clean fingers to gently massage the bottom of his gums. Do not apply any pressure nor massage the top of the gums where the tooth would erupt. Only run your fingers gently at the base of the gums and continue doing so all along his gums.

Focus on the gums at the front since that is where the first teeth would emerge. You can give this massage when you feel your baby is irritated due to teething.

there are a couple of other symptoms that may help you understand the teething phase better.

Babies turn fussy because due to soreness and swelling when the tooth cuts through the gums. The symptoms appear three to six days before the tooth erupts and stop once the tip of the tooth comes out of the gums.

Teething is an easy and quick process for some babies, but for some, it can be slow and painful. The typical signs and symptoms of teething are:

Red and swollen gums, which are bruised and sore.

Excessive drooling as the baby keeps every object in their mouth. The drooling can last up to several weeks until a tooth erupts.

Rubbing of the ear. The pain in the gums causes ear pain too, as gums and ears share the same neural pathways.

Excessive biting and chewing due to the pressure of the eruption of teeth through the gums. Babies bite and chew everything and anything to get relief from the pain.

Your baby’s sleep can be disturbed because of the lingering pain. Sore gums make your baby restless, so they tend to express that by being cranky and irritable.

Lack of interest in food or eating. The pressure of sucking or chewing food can cause more discomfort to the already aching gums; so babies lose appetite and sometimes reject food altogether.

Babies pull their cheeks due to the discomfort around the jawline and cheeks.There can be mild rashesaround the mouth, and on the chest due to excessive drooling.Sometimes teething is accompanied by mild fever.