DEALING WITH BABY TEETHING The problems associated with baby teething is huge with all those sleepless nights when you have to console and soothe your baby because of the pain that he has due to the tooth trying to come through. Your child really suffers a lot during the time of teething. For the infant, new teeth, especially the first few and the larger molars, bring on varying degrees of discomfort and distress. Here are some facts, information and advice to make the normal process of teething more pleasant for your baby and you. The Process Of Baby Teething Only one in 2,000 babies are born with teeth. The vast majority sprout their first tooth at approximately 7 months and continues till they reach 3 years of age. But in some healthy babies, the first tooth appears in the third month; in others, it doesn't emerge until the infant is a full year old. Before a baby is born, the first set of teeth is already forming inside the jaws and under the gums. Usually, the front teeth appear during the first year; the first and second molars appear between ages 1 and 3. By age 3, your child should have a full set of 20 baby teeth. Teeth usually appear sooner in girls than in boys. Teething patterns tend to be hereditary, so knowing when you and your spouse began to cut your teeth may provide some clue. Symptoms Of Baby Teething Teething often causes discomfort, pain, restlessness and irritability. As the roots of the teeth grow, they push the edges of the teeth through the gums. The effects are usually most dramatic with the first teeth, because the sensation is new to the baby, and with molars, due to their large size. You could be up nights trying to console a child waiting for a tooth to break through. The early symptoms include ---- sore, tender and swollen gums, drooling, restlessness, irritability, loss of appetite, chewing on fingers and other objects, rejecting breastfeeding or bottle feeding since sucking hurts. Although some parents claim their babies become feverish or get diarrhoea when a tooth is about to pop, most experts say baby teething doesn't cause illness. More likely the child has caught a virus and is coming down with a cold, mild flu, or tummy troubles. What To Do during Baby Teething? You can't do anything to make teeth appear, but you can comfort your baby if he's in pain as the process starts. Let your child chew on a cold, hard object, such as a teething ring. The coldness helps ease the discomfort and the hardness will speed up the eruption of the tooth. Massaging your child's gums with a clean finger can help reduce pain and discomfort during teething. Some paediatricians recommend giving a teething baby a small dose of children's pain reliever, but check with the doctor before giving your baby any medication. If your child is running a temperature, call your doctor - he may have an ear infection or other illness. Caring For Your Baby's Baby Teeth For the first year, you won't really need to brush your baby's teeth, but do clean them at least once a day preferably at bedtime. Just wipe his gums and teeth with gauze and don't bother to use a brush now since it is too early and do not use toothpaste till your child is at least 2 years old. You should also never put your baby to bed with a bottle. Formula and breast milk can pool in your baby's mouth at night and lead to tooth decay. Around 18 months, your child may be ready to learn to brush his teeth. You'll have to do it for him at first, since he won't have the interest or the concentration to brush. Use a soft brush and a small dollop of toothpaste. You don't have to brush in a certain direction, just try to get any food particles out. Use toothpaste, which is made for children. You don't really need to use toothpaste unless your child's diet includes lots of sugary foods - which you should avoid anyway.