When baby starts chewing on everything,

She’s teething – dental care is right around the corner!

You know your baby is teething when she starts chewing on her fingers, her toes, her crib rails, basically anything she can get her hands – or gums on. She is feeling the urge from her baby teeth to break the surface of her gums and make their debut. Baby teeth usually appear when your baby is between 6 months and 1 year old. Dr. Dunne recommends your child have her first dental exam as soon as that first tooth pops up. Besides checking for tooth decay and other problems, Dr. Dunne will show you how to clean your child’s teeth properly and how to deal with any issues like THUMB SUCKING.

Baby Teeth and Teething Tips

• When babies are teething, they may become fussy, sleepless and irritable, lose their appetite or drool more than usual. Babies may get sore or tender gums when their teeth cut their gums. Gently rubbing your child’s gums with a clean finger, a small, cool spoon or a wet gauze pad can soothe them. A clean teething ring may also help.
• When baby teeth break through the gums, brush using a children’s toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste in an amount no more than the size of a grain of rice.
• Begin regular dental checkups no later than your child’s first birthday or when that first tooth makes an appearance, whichever comes first, for “smile insurance.”

Tooth Timeline Chart

Download or print chart

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