Teething Signs, Symptoms, and Tips

Pediatric Dentistry of Garden City & Glen Cove

Garden City:516-222-5100

Glen Cove: 516-759-7000

www.PediatricDentistryofGardenCity.com

Teething can be a painful process for both you and your baby.  It’s important that parents know what to expect when their child’s first teeth come in so that they can help to ease the pain.  While the bottom two front teeth are usually the first to come in at 4 to 8 months, the molars are the teeth that cause babies the most pain.  The molars come in around your child’s first birthday and tend to be more painful because they are bigger and broader.

Here are a few of the symptoms associated with teething:

• Biting
• Drooling
• Irritability
• Decreased Appetite
• Mild Temperature
• Wakefulness
• Gum Rubbing

Biting on hard toys can sometimes damage incoming teeth. Ease the discomfort of teething by offering your child a chilled plastic teething ring.  Parents can also offer their children a wet, cold wash cloth, slushy applesauce, popsicles, or a frozen banana.  Any cold, healthy snack will help numb the gums and ease the pain. 

Remember to brush your child’s tooth with a clean piece of gauze or washcloth when they start coming in.  Parents should also schedule their first appointment at Pediatric Dentistry of Garden City & Glen Cove when their child is 1 year old or when their first tooth appears.  Call 516-222-5100 to contact our Garden City office or 516-759-7000 to contact our Glen Cove office.