Pediatric Dentistry: Everything You Need to Know About Teething

Before your child’s teeth erupt through the gums, you will not have any need for pediatric dentistry, but this doesn’t mean teeth won’t cause any issues with your child. Just because you can’t see them doesn’t mean they aren’t there! Though we encourage most parents to bring their children into a pediatric dentistry office sometime in the first year, many children deal with pain from teeth at a much earlier age. We refer to this as teething, and in today’s blog, the pediatric dentistry team at Parkcrest Dental Group discusses some teething symptoms to look for and relief strategies to implement. Related Post: Pediatric Dentistry: What To Know About Your Baby’s First Teeth (Part I)

Common Teething Symptoms

When teeth come in, they must tear through the gums in a process the general dentistry world refers to as erupting. This can cause a lot of pain, as anyone who has undergone wisdom teeth removal can probably tell you. For an infant who doesn’t understand the pain, the eruption process during teething can be very difficult to deal with. Look out for these symptoms to determine whether your child is teething or not.

Biting

Teething infants love to bite because it helps relieve the pressure of their teeth pushing against their gums.

Drooling

Teething stimulates drooling. You might find it difficult to tell that your child is drooling more than normal, but you can check their shirts for dampness.

Rashes

All that extra drooling dries out skin and causes rashes on lips and cheeks.

Gagging

Sometimes your child struggles to deal with all the drool and may gag or cough. If they don’t show other signs of sickness but cough often, they are probably teething.

Not Feeding

Feeding with sore gums hurts, and many infants refuse to feed for short periods of time. If they refuse to feed for more than a day or two, you should contact a medical professional.

Pulling Ears & Rubbing Chins

Ears, cheeks, and gums all share the same nerves, so the irritation in gums can spread easily to ears and chins. Related Post: Pediatric Dentist: Soothing A Teething Baby

Ways to Soothe the Pain Without Seeking Pediatric Dentistry

Once your child already has teeth, you can seek out pediatric dentistry for any issues with those teeth. The act of teeth erupting from the gums, however, doesn’t call for medical supervisions. You have to find ways to read the symptoms and help your child feel more comfortable.

Give Your Baby Chew Toys

Chewing relieves the pressure of teething. Teething rings, clean fingers, and some toys relieve pain when chewed on. The colder the object, the more relief your child will get from chewing. Consider keeping teething rings or wet washcloths in the refrigerator.

Rubbing Gums

Like chewing, rubbing gums gives relief to the pain of teething. If you rub wet cloths, soft toys, or a damp toothbrush over your infant’s gums, it will bring some much-needed comfort.

Cuddles & Love

It’s no secret that all babies love the feeling of a close body. This will bring your child comfort in a difficult time.

You Don’t Need a Pediatric Dentist to Soothe Teething

Though you may not need any help from pediatric dentistry offices when it comes to soothing your child during teething, you will need to find a pediatric dentist in Springfield, MO, sometime during your child’s first year. At Parkcrest Dental Group, we have dedicated pediatric dentists, and we love teaching children about their oral health. Contact Parkcrest Dental Group today to see what we can offer you.