The appearance of your baby’s first tooth is one of those milestone events which every parent will remember. The sudden arrival of a goofy grin will send most people reaching for their cameras to record the momentous event for posterity. Unfortunately though for all concerned, that tooth will not spring miraculously forth overnight – teething is a long and difficult process that can be equally trying for both baby and parents.

How Can You Tell Teething Has Started

About a month before the first tooth appears, several clues will present themselves:

• Excessive drooling
• Reddened, swollen gums and cheeks
• Increased tendency for the baby to bite down on objects (and people!)
• Decreased appetite
• Lack of sleep (for everyone)
• Increased irritability and crying

Although most doctors and health professionals say that there’s no connection between teething and stomach or digestive upsets, most parents will attest that teething was accompanied by more ‘interesting’ and frequent nappy contents.

When Does It Start?

A small minority of babies are born already having a visible tooth or two, but most babies will take about 6 months to start teething. It can take up to a year to begin though, so don’t panic if your baby shows no signs of emerging teeth – rest assured, it WILL happen, so just enjoy the peace while you can!

What Can Parents Do?

Teething will follow its own schedule, and there’s nothing a parent can do to speed it up. You can, however, try to make the process as easy as possible by alleviating the discomfort in several ways.

Teething Rings

Teething babies will naturally try and bite down on solid objects, and to reduce the chances of these objects being damaged or damaging, teething rings or teethers are a good investment. They can also be kept in the fridge for further cooling comfort. A related item is a teething rail which attaches to the side of the cot, as teething toddlers often bite into their cot rail once they can stand – a teething rail will protect both the baby from injury, and the cot from damage.

Teething Powder

These are a sachet of crystals which you can pour into your baby’s mouth – many infants seem to find crunching on teething powder soothing.

Teething Gel

This is a gel or liquid which you spread directly on to the affected gums, which can provide almost instant relief to a distressed baby, helping them back off to sleep.

Medication

In bad cases of teething, a pain-killing medication such as Calpol or a baby formulation of Nurofen can be worth trying, especially at bed time when the whole household is seriously in need of some sleep! Be aware though that as with all medications, you should follow the dosage instructions carefully, and always err on the side of caution when deciding whether or not to medicate your baby.

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