MILK TEETH

Kids eruption of their first teeth (a.k.a. milk teeth, deciduous teeth, primary teeth or more commonly baby teeth) is considered as one of the developmental milestones of each and every person. A child's smile with the presence of their first teeth (doesn't matter if there's only 1 or more) is always a mainstay of the baby's first few pictures. Joy always fills the hearts of adults whenever there are signs of teething. But the big question is "does one know what to do when teething comes or how does one know that teething is coming". Here are a few tips.

AGE OF THE BABY.
Basing on my experience as public health dentist most front teeth erupt first. This usually occurs from 6 months to 9 months according to dental books. But it is most common at age 9 months (charge to experience).

However, every individual is different. I have seen some had teeth at 4 months, and some as late as 12 months. Others even had their eruptions at 13 to 14 months.

Some parents worry when there is a delay in the eruption of their baby's teeth. Some even inquire what they should do to speed up the eruption of their baby's teeth. Well my advise is to always be PATIENT. It's not an abnormality if your child had an early or late eruption. Heredity is said to have a role. Environmental conditions, health and nourishment of the mother during conception MAY also play a role.

Baby teeth total to 20. Ten on the upper jaw and another 10 on the lower jaw. The incisors or the front teeth are usually the first to erupt, followed by the 1st molars, the cuspids or canine, and lastly the 2nd molars. Baby teeth should be complete by age 3.

The incisors are composed of 2 kinds of teeth. The central incisors and the lateral incisors. Their function is for cutting food. The canines or the cuspids are for tearing the food. These are found on the corners of the mouth. The 1st and 2nd molars are for grinding the food. Each tooth has its own location and function in the oral cavity or the mouth.

SIGNS OF TEETHING

Each individual experiences different signs and symptoms. Some had a hard time during the eruption stage while others feel nothing at all.

1. BITING. Most babies bite at anything they can get hold to. This is to relieve the pain or pressure they feel during teething. The counter pressure helps relieve the pain the baby experiences. This can be managed by providing a teether to the infant. Just make sure it is clean to prevent diarrhea.

2. FEVER. Sometimes fever is present during the teething process. However, I always advise my patients to have a check-up from their pediatrician. It is wrong and maybe dangerous to believe that your baby's fever is due to teething. Sometimes it is due to the eruption of the milk teeth but sometimes it may be due to other conditions or illnesses. The child may already have a fracture due to a bad fall which is the reason for the fever and treatment is delayed because of mis-diagnosis.

3. APPETITE LOSS. Sometimes infants loose their appetite due to the pain felt. This can be managed by giving soft cold food. This is very helpful.

4. DROOLING OF SALIVA. This is very common in infants during teething. This is usually the cause of rashes on the chin. Manage this by wiping the saliva and by maintaining the chin dry.


5. DIARRHEA. This is also common, however, there is no medical proof that diarrhea is caused by teething. To be sure have a check-up from your pediatrician to rule out other diseases.