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Most new parents, particularly of first babies, eagerly await that moment when their precious child gets their first set of teeth, or milk teeth as they are called.

Obviously, they’re not going to get them all at once but how many milk teeth will they get?

Milk teeth are twenty in number, usually appearing in pairs, with those of the lower jaw generally preceding the corresponding ones in the upper jaw.

Babies generally cut their first milk teeth at about the sixth or seventh month, with the last ones usually appearing between their twentieth and thirtieth months.

The whole development of milk teeth is a natural process but it can all too frequently become a painful and difficult experience for the little one, both prior to the appearance of the milk tooth and during the process itself. But this needn’t be the case, especially so with a healthy breastfed baby.

The symptoms of a natural dentition (i.e. the acquiring of the teeth) within your child could include:

• an increased flow of saliva, with swelling of the gums (which may also be hot);
• an occasional flushing of its cheeks;
• frequent thrusting of its fingers, or any thing else within its grasp, into its mouth;
• an increase in its thirst;

and he/she may also:

• take to the breast/bottle more frequently, though for shorter periods than usual owing to the tender state of its gums;
• become fretful and restless;
• have sudden fits of crying;
• occasionally wake suddenly and unexpectedly from sleep;
• have a slight tendency to vomiting or even a looseness of its bowels.

Many of these symptoms often precede the appearance of the tooth by several weeks indicating that breeding of the teeth (i.e. when the teeth are merely developing within the gums) is going on. In this case, the symptoms should disappear after a few days only to recur when the tooth is ready to erupt from the gum.

The treatment of the infant in this case is very simple and seldom requires medical attention:

• keep the child out in the fresh air as much as possible;
• keep its bowels open with the use of castor oil (not a pleasant taste so you may struggle with this);
• apply daily cold sponging followed by rubbing dry the surface of the body with as rough a flannel as the child’s delicate skin will bear;
• put the child to the breast/bottle often, though not for long periods – this will keep their thirst allayed;
• keep the gums moist and relaxed; and
• try not to overload their stomach.

Breastfeeding mothers should also be careful of their own health and diet, avoiding all stimulant foods and drinks.

Once the teeth start coming through you will know about it – your baby will let you know!

Pressure on the gums, numbing the sensibility and dulling the pain, will ease baby’s discomfort. A good quality teething ring or, failing that a flat ivory ring, is far safer and better than old fashioned remedies such as using coral or a piece of orris-root for them to chew on.

As an alternative try some gentle friction of the gums by rubbing them with a (suitably clean) finger.

Before you know it the tooth will be through and your baby’s smile will be that much more radiant. Now you can look forward to the next one better prepared.

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