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Babies are born with 20 primary teeth, which start to erupt through the gums. Teething typically begins around 4 to 7 months, and this manifests in external discomfort, pain, and behavioural issues in babies. Teething stimulates sensory development, promoting the acquisition of oral motor skills, sensory integration, and speech development.
What's Actually Happening in Your Baby’s Mouth
Tooth buds form around six weeks of pregnancy, marking the foundation of tooth development. Around the tenth week of gestation, enamel starts forming, and the baby is born with a full set of 20 primary teeth hiding inside the gums. Primary or temporary teeth begin to develop approximately 6 months after delivery.
The growth of the tooth follicle puts pressure on the periodontal ligament and surrounding tissues. This pressure stimulates inflammatory mediators such as prostaglandins, histamine, and cytokines, which sensitise nerve endings, causing pain and discomfort. The dental follicle produces cytokines and eicosanoids, which intensify the inflammation. The gum tissue swells and becomes sensitive, resulting in irritation, swollen gums, and excessive drooling.
The baby's tooth eruption order begins with the lower central incisors, which appear between 6 and 10 months, followed by the upper central incisors around 8 to 12 months. Then the lateral incisors, first molars, canines, and second molars appear slowly. However, not every baby follows the same timeline and order.
Baby’s teeth eruption depends on:
- Genetics: The teething timelines of mothers, fathers, and other close family members correlate with the baby’s first primary tooth eruption and later permanent tooth eruption.
- Diet: Adding more vitamin D and calcium to babies’ and lactating mothers’ diet may influence eruption timing. Malnutrition, chronic illness, and the overall health condition of the baby and mother may affect the teething timeline and sequence.
- Prematurity: If the baby is born premature or early term, eruption may take longer.
- Sex: A girl baby may start teething earlier than a boy baby.
Teething Symptoms
- Increased desire to bite, chew, and gnaw to relieve gum pressure and soothe discomfort.
- Saliva production increases and results in drooling, which may lead to skin irritation.
- Swollen gums and tenderness in the area where the tooth will erupt.
- Changes in sleeping pattern or disrupted sleep and mild fever.
- Constantly rubbing or pulling the ear and cheek.
How to Soothe a Teething Baby
Cold Therapy
Offering a cold compress helps reduce inflammation, numb gum tissues, and relieve pain. Pressing frozen objects on the gums induces vasoconstriction, which reduces blood flow and decreases inflammatory activities, effectively reducing the pain signals.Here are a few cold therapies you can try:
- Cold cloth: Dip a cotton cloth in water, chill it in the refrigerator, and give it to the baby to gnaw on.
- Teething rings: Refrigerate silicone or rubber rings and give it to babies to relieve gum issues and soothe the pressure
- Frozen fruit: If your baby has started solids, offer frozen fruits like bananas and berries for chewing and enjoyment. It provides hydration, nutrition, and comfort.
- Cold popsicle: Freezing breastmilk into popsicles offers nutritional and soothing benefits.
Gum Massage
Gum massage is a non-pharmacological method for alleviating pain and discomfort in a teething baby. Applying gentle pressure on the swollen gums helps moderate pain and comfort through tactile stimulation. While massaging, gentle pressure activates the mechanoreceptors in the gum tissues, and this stimulation releases endorphins, which reduce pain and promote relaxation.Make sure to follow the guidelines below while massaging:
- Wash your hands thoroughly.
- Gently rub the baby’s gums with fingers or a gauze pad.
- Apply gentle pressure on the resulting tooth for 1 to 2 minutes and give a few seconds' break before the next session.
- If the baby exhibits relaxed body language, maintains eye contact and reduces fussiness, the massage is effective, and you can continue for a long time.
Safe Teething Toys
While teething, the baby's desire to bite and chew objects intensifies as a means to relieve pain and discomfort. It's a type of counterpressure which provides tactile stimulation to the swollen and inflamed gums. Safe teething toys made with non-toxic materials, such as rubber and silicone, reduce chemical exposure to the baby.
While selecting teething toys, follow the measures below:
- Choose BPA, phthalate, and PVC-free materials.
- Soft and resilient texture that offers comfort.
- Rubber and silicone are naturally antimicrobial and imitate the feel of a mother’s nipple.
- Beachwood is smooth and offers eco-friendly choices, and provides better counter pressure.
Comforting Techniques
Warm compression helps relax muscles and soothe local nerve endings. Warm comforting techniques increase oxygen delivery and nutrient flow, which enhances the healing of inflamed gums.A few warm, comforting techniques are:
- Warm baths: Provide relaxation, reduce crankiness, enhance sleeping, improve mood, and distract from discomfort
- Skin-to-skin contact: Cuddling your baby and massaging the inflamed gums helps release oxytocin and soothes the baby.
- Warm compression: Apply a warm compress on the cheek and jawline to relax the musculature and reduce pain from erupting teeth.
Teething is a crucial and transformational phase for babies. It starts around 4 to 6 months and continues for 3 years. Each tooth takes up to 7 days to emerge from the gums. While teething, discomforts such as gum swelling, tenderness, and an intense desire to bite things are common.
While soothing a teething baby, remember not to give them hard or frozen objects. They pose choking hazards and damage the gums. If you are massaging, make sure to use cold chamomile or safe tea onto the gums to relieve inflammation. Cuddling and skin-to-skin contact during nursing can enhance relaxation for the baby.
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FAQs on Is Your Baby Teething? Here Are Science-Based Soothing Techniques
- What should I avoid giving my teething baby?
Hard rock frozen foods to prevent choking hazards. Teethers with benzocaine or lidocaine gels can cause blood disorders. Homoeopathic teething tablets can cause seizures and breathing problems - What is the most painful part of teething?
The eruption of secondary primary molars around 25 to 36 months is often the most painful and hard part of teething, as they are the largest teeth.
