Are you wondering when does a baby begin teething? Many mums have gone through babies’ teething period and most of them will admit it can be a complete nightmare, especially when the baby wakes up a few times through the night crying and feeling really uncomfortable.
Whether you are a brand-new mama or mama-to-be, this is what you need to learn in order to help your crying baby to get through the teething pain, because it is coming faster than you think!
When does a baby begin teething?
As reported by the NHS: “Some babies are born with their first teeth. Others start teething before they are 4 months old, and some after 12 months. But most babies start teething at around 6 months.”
When will it end?
Teeth at the back of the mouth are the last that appear, and this normally happens about the age of 2 or 2.5 years.
How do I know when my baby is teething and what are the signs of it?
According to a dentist Edinburgh we spoke to, and from our own first-hand knowledge also, it is very easy to identify when your baby is teething, the very first sign is when your baby starting to put everything into their mouth and trying to chew it.
The following other symptoms are:
- Red swollen gums (normally the bottom front teeth are coming through first, so you can just pay attention to that to start with)
- Flushed cheeks
- Drooling more than usual
- Grumpy and crying a lot (it is louder than usual too!)
- Low-grade temperature
- As long as your baby has any of the above symptoms, then they are teething!
So here, what I need to highlight is that when your baby is drooling A LOT, it is likely to cause a teething rash. But it is also not difficult to solve, as you just need to do is simply remove your baby’s slobber away from their cheeks and neck. By keeping the area dry you can avoid a teething rash.
How to help your baby to relieve the teething pain and stop the contentious crying?
1: Teethers
This is generally going to work best before your baby has their huge back teeth coming through. It is the most recommended way to help your baby with their teething before any medical intervention.
When will your baby’s back teeth come through?
About the age of 2 and 2.5 years.
The issue with babies putting all random things into their mouths, it is highly likely they will grab harmful items like plastic, metal, or things that are not clean.
Giving your baby an adorable teether which they like, is going to:
- Prevent your baby from chewing on harmful items and leading to some unnecessary hazards.
- Ease their teething pain by chewing on the teether and massaging their gums.
You can also use your fingers to lightly rub their gum, but you can’t do it 24/7, so by letting your baby do the work by themselves by using a teething toy you are going to save your time and energy, which I’m confident you will have many other things to use on.
You can find some super cute ones from YB London.
2: Ice lollies
You can make some ice lollies with water or a smoothie for your baby to gnaw on. It can calm the swollen gum down. But do pay attention to your baby whenever they are chewing on it. As the ice lolly’s size goes smaller, it might cause a choking hazard near the end.
3: Roman Chamomile
We can use some Roman Chamomile to make a drink for your baby. It is a natural remedy instead of baby paracetamol. Chamomile is a great way to not only calm emotions but also good to calm your emotions, but its properties are also great for soothing sore tissues.
4: Teething Gel
This might cool the swollen gums down if your baby’s gums are too red and swollen. But according to the NHS: “There’s a lack of evidence that teething gels are effective. It’s recommended that parents try non-medical options for teething first, such as a teething ring. If you do decide to use a gel, make sure you use a teething gel that’s specially designed for young children. General oral pain relief gels are not suitable for children.” You can find more detail by following the link.
If your baby is crying contentiously and cannot even carry anything in his/her hands, very likely also combined with a bit of low-grade temperature, then further medication action is required.
5: Baby paracetamol
When my daughter had her back teeth coming through the teether couldn’t really help anymore. The pain was quite severe and she cried continuously. Another thing was that when she was so irritated, she actually dropped everything in her hands and she was not gnawing on anything anymore. At this moment, you can give your baby some baby paracetamol/Calpol. For these babies who feel really uncomfortable and can’t even sleep, you can try to give them some Calpol before sleeping.
The effect is nearly instant, but as it is a medication, it is not recommended using it too regularly on your baby.
6: Teething powder
Same as baby paracetamol. I have tried Ashton & Parsons teething pain relief powder through a mum friend’s recommendation. The effect is also immediate, but again, as this is also medicine and some of it goes into your baby’s stomach, so be careful not to use it too regularly. You can find it through places like Amazon or Boots.
7: Cuddles
While your baby is really unsettled, it is always going to ease a little bit by cuddling them or putting one hand on your baby’s chest gently and whispering: “It’s ok, mummy is here.” This can help your baby to feel more secure by understanding that mama is here to help, so it will be ok. I do this many times with my own daughter, and it is incredible how soothing this kind of comfort can be.
8: Brushing
And last but not the least, once your baby has their first teeth out, please also don’t forget to start to brush them twice a day to maintain their teeth to keep them nice and healthy!
Have you found this blog helpful? If you have any more questions about teething or parenting tips, please leave a comment to let us know. We will try our best to help you out.
