What to expect for your baby’s first tooth
Your Baby’s First Tooth
Is your baby drooling, or acting fussier than normal? They may be teething! While most children erupt their first tooth around 6 months old, some may have teeth as early as 3 months old. It is also normal for other babies to erupt their first tooth after their first birthday. Lower front teeth usually erupt first, followed by upper front teeth, and most children have all 20 baby teeth by the time they turn 3 years old. It’s helpful to remember the timeline of baby teeth eruption because children who erupt baby teeth earlier or later than average often follow the same pattern when beginning the transition to permanent teeth around 5-8 years old.
Does your baby have a natal tooth?
Some children are even born with a tooth, called a natal tooth, or a perinatal tooth may erupt within the first month after birth. If your baby has a tooth at birth, this is usually not an extra tooth, but is actually their baby tooth and may look small or underdeveloped since it often doesn’t have the same outer enamel layer as a tooth that erupts later. It’s important to check in with your pediatric dentist to make sure this tooth doesn’t interfere with feeding for your baby (or cause pain for mama, if breastfeeding).
How to soothe your teething baby
Dr. Villasenor and the Rise and Shine Pediatric Dentistry team are here to support you as your baby’s first teeth erupt! Many babies drool more, put their hands in their mouth, and have interruption to their sleep routines when teething. It’s okay to use soft teething toys or let your baby chew on the toothbrush, as long as they are sitting and aren’t cruising around. Soft teethers that are easy to clean are the best option.
It is okay to give your child children’s Tylenol if they aren’t sleeping due to teething pain, though this should only be done for 1-2 days and not ongoing. Avoid topical gels since these are not safe for infants and are not effective for teething pain. Soft bibs are designed to minimize outfit changes and gently wipe excess saliva from your baby’s face and can be helpful during baby teething. Gentle brushing is the best way to ease the discomfort of teething and keep teeth and gums healthy and strong. Give us a call at 303-758-0223 to schedule your baby’s appointment with Dr. Villasenor today!