Baby teething is an important milestone in a baby’s development. The teething schedule is different for each baby, although the vast majority will begin the teething process around the same age and the appearance of the teeth usually follows a certain order.
The appearance of milk teeth is the precursor to weaning; a physical manifestation of a child’s growing independence. Most children go through the entire process, but for some it can be a harrowing and painful time. Many parents can feel helpless and a little surprised when their baby starts to get their first teeth. Understanding physical changes and anticipating when and how is the key to helping your baby.
Stage 1. Teething discomfort can start long before teeth come in: Your baby is born with a set of 20 teeth hidden under the gums. Just before they erupt, you should be able to feel the crevices of the teeth by running your finger along your baby’s gums.
Stage 2. Usually, when your baby is between seven and twelve months old, the first four front teeth break through the gums. These teeth are called incisors. Usually, the two upper teeth are the ones that emerge first. Although they look cute and make every parent’s heart race when first seen, they can ache as they go.
Stage 3. The appearance of the first molars usually takes place when the child is between thirteen and nineteen months old. The first molars sit just behind the canine teeth.
Stage 4. Sometime between sixteen and twenty-two months of age, the canine teeth emerge; however, the first molars may appear before the canines.
Stage 5. The second molars are almost always the last to erupt. This occurs around twenty-five to thirty-three months of age. These are the largest teeth; some children find the appearance of these to be the most painful.
During each stage of teething, your baby will want different aids to soothe their discomfort. Cooling the hot gums during stage one is a great relief, while finding the best object to chew on is preferable for the remaining stages. To soothe hot gums, you can buy teething gels or simply give your child a pacifier or ring that has been chilled in the fridge. If she wants to give her child a nursing ring to ease discomfort, she may need to buy different types for each stage of teething. You can easily find these at most baby retail stores. Read the back of the package to find out if the ring is right for your child’s teething needs; During early teething, you’ll want a teething ring that your child can bite down on with her front teeth, but during the final stages of teething, she’ll want to buy one that’s more suitable for her back teeth.
Finally, your child will be in possession of all his teeth and will be able to rest easy. Or you can? Just when your child has all his baby teeth (baby teeth) he will start to lose them again, to be replaced by permanent teeth. The first teeth to fall out are usually the four front teeth; this begins around the child’s sixth to eighth birthday. The rest of the other teeth fall out in more or less the same order in which they appeared; first the front teeth, last the second molars.
