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Teething can be a frustrating time for both you and your baby, but knowing what to expect and how to ease your baby’s discomfort can make the process easier.
Teething Timeline While most babies begin teething around 6 months, that first tooth can appear anytime between 3 and 14 months. Teeth usually come in pairs, starting with the bottom front two and followed by the top front two. Here’s a general teething timeline: •
6 months – Lower central incisors (bottom front)
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8 months – Upper central incisors (top front)
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10 months – Lower & upper lateral incisors (side front)
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14 months – First molars
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18 months – Canines (pointy teeth)
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24 months – Second molars
Your baby’s primary pearly whites should be complete by age 3, and permanent teeth will start to come in between ages 4 and 6.
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Signs of Teething How do you know if your little one is teething? Most babies experience increased drooling and crankiness, but symptoms can vary by baby. Here are six possible signs from Parenting.com:
THE NEED TO GNAW The pressure of an emerging tooth beneath the gums may be relieved by counterpressure, so teething babies often want to chomp on things. The chewing instinct may also be a response to the odd sensation that something’s going on in there.
PUFFY GUMS Before a new tooth erupts, it can cause a red, swollen, bruised-looking area on a baby’s gums. Sometimes the gum bulges with the emerging tooth, which you can see faintly beneath the skin (if you can convince your baby to open his mouth for long enough).
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EXCESSIVE DROOLING Increased spittle can herald a new tooth—but it’s also a normal developmental stage of infancy, so don’t assume that drooling means teething. There’s no way to tell whether your baby’s saliva is the result of teething or not, though it may be if you also see…
FUSSINESS, ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT Tooth eruption—when the tooth moves through the bone and gum—tends to come in stages, with more activity at night than during the day, so your baby may be more irritable in the evening.
EAR PULLING While it can also be a sign of an ear infection, tugging can be a symptom of teething—the pain from the jaw gets transferred to the ear canal.
A CHANGE IN EATING HABITS Babies who are eating solids may want to nurse or bottle-feed more because a spoon irritates their inflamed gums. Others may do the opposite, eating more than usual because the
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counterpressure feels good. And babies who are still on the bottle or breast may begin feeding eagerly but pull back because the activity of sucking puts uncomfortable pressure on the gums and ear canals. Since some signs of teething may actually be signs of an illness, please call your baby’s doctor if the above symptoms don’t ease after a few days or if they worsen.
Tips for Soothing Your Baby’s Sore Gums Not sure what’s the best way to ease your baby’s teething pain? The Mayo Clinic offers these great tips for soothing your baby’s sore gums:
OFFER A TEETHING RING Try one made of firm rubber. The liquid-filled variety may break under the pressure of your baby’s chewing. If a bottle seems to do the trick, fill it with water.
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Prolonged contact with sugar from formula, milk, or juice may cause tooth decay.
RUB YOUR BABY’S GUMS Use a clean finger, moistened gauze pad, or damp washcloth to massage your baby’s gums. The pressure can ease your baby’s discomfort.
KEEP IT COOL A cold washcloth or chilled teething ring can be soothing. However, don’t give your baby a frozen teething ring. Contact with extreme cold may be harmful.
DRY THE DROOL Excessive drooling is part of the teething process. To prevent skin irritation, keep a clean cloth handy to dry your baby’s chin.
TRY AN OVER-THE-COUNTER MEDICINE An over-the-counter medicine like Camilia® works to relieve your baby’s painful gums, irritability, and minor digestive disorders caused by teething.*
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*CLAIMS BASED ON TRADITIONAL HOMEOPATHIC PRACTICE, NOT ACCEPTED MEDICAL EVIDENCE. NOT FDA EVALUATED.
How to Care for Your Baby’s New Teeth You should run a clean, damp washcloth over your baby’s gums every day, even before he gets his first tooth, according to the Mayo Clinic. So if you’re not doing it already, now’s a great time to start. The washcloth can keep bacteria from building up in your baby’s mouth. When your baby’s first teeth appear, switch to a small, soft-bristled toothbrush. There’s no need to use toothpaste. Water is all you need until your child learns to spit— at about age 2. It’s also time to think about regular dental checkups. The American Dental Association and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommend scheduling a child’s first dental visit after the first tooth erupts and no later than his first birthday. Your baby’s teeth and gums will also be examined at well-baby checkups. Remember, regular childhood dental care helps set the stage for a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums.
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About Camilia® CALM YOUR BABY’S TEETHING PAIN. RESTORE THE PEACE WITH CAMILIA. Camilia is a natural one-product solution for painful gums, irritability, and minor digestive disorders caused by teething.* Its sterile single–use doses are easy to administer and worry–free.
BENEFITS OF CAMILIA •
Convenient, sterile single–use doses
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No benzocaine, preservatives, or flavors
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No dyes, sugar, or artificial sweeteners
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No risk of overdose
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No numbing of your baby’s gag reflex
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Recommended for children 1 month of age and up
For more information, visit CamiliaTeething.com, @CamiliaUSA, and facebook.com/CamiliaUSA.
World Leader in Homeopathic Medicines
*CLAIMS BASED ON TRADITIONAL HOMEOPATHIC PRACTICE, NOT ACCEPTED MEDICAL EVIDENCE. NOT FDA EVALUATED.