As a new parent, teething is completely new territory for you! Below please find information all about teething, and how to care for your babies teeth once they start to come in to ensure they have good oral health. Thanks for visiting us at Saddle Rock Pediatric Dentistry of Aurora, CO.

Although newborns usually have no visible teeth, most start developing baby teeth between 4-7 months of age. Children usually have their full set of 20 primary teeth in place by age 3.

Teething Symptoms

As their teeth erupt, some babies may become fussy, sleepless and irritable, lose their appetite or drool more than usual. Diarrhea, rashes and a fever are not normal for a teething baby. If your infant has a fever or diarrhea while teething or continues to be cranky and uncomfortable, call your physician.

How to Soothe a Teething Baby

Your child may have sore or tender gums when teeth begin to erupt. Gently rubbing their gums with a clean finger, a small cool spoon, or a moist gauze pad can be soothing. A clean teething ring for your child to chew on may also help. Your dentist or pediatrician may recommend a pacifier or teething ring.

The Food and Drug Administration recommends that parents and caregivers not use benzocaine products for children younger than 2, except under the advice and supervision of a health care professional. Benzocaine is an over-the-counter anesthetic, usually under the product names Anbesol, Hurricaine, Orajel, Baby Orajel and Orabase. Benzocaine has been associated with a rare but serious—and sometimes fatal—condition called methemoglobinemia, a disorder in which the amount of oxygen carried through the blood stream is greatly reduced.

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