Take a moment to look back and reminisce on some of your best memories growing up. Your eighth birthday party. Your first day at school. Your first crush. Among all of those first times, there were your first teeth. You may not remember it so clearly but your parents most certainly do. And now you’re a parent, witnessing those same first times for your child as what your parents did with you. But as exciting as it is to watch your child grow and develop, it can be a bit of a stressful experience for him or her. It’s not the most comfortable sensation in the world having bones protruding through your gums. And at such a young age, everything is so new that it can be confusing for a child. Most of this is normal. Some of it is not. The important thing for you is to recognize the fine line between the two, so you can gauge what you don’t have to worry about and what should be of some concern. These are the kinds of details your child’s Pediatric Dentist Paramus will pay attention to. Here’s what you need to know.

If you notice your child drooling an abnormal amount or chewing on solid things like their toys, etc., those are signs that the teething may have commenced. You may also see them grow noticeably crankier, as they’re going through a phase of discomfort and they don’t know why. If you notice any of these symptoms, take a moment to check their teeth. Even if you don’t see anything but notice that the gums are particularly tender or sensitive, that probably means that their teeth are beginning to emerge.

Most children begin teething around 6 months of age. However, that’s an average and in reality the timing can vary quite a bit. A baby’s first teeth will typically pop up in pairs. The first to appear, typically, are the teeth in the lower center part of the mouth. After those bottom center ‘incisors’ come in, the next usually are the two top front ones.

You may have heard that teething can cause side effects in other parts of the body. For example, many parents have theorized that their baby’s diarrhea or fever was the result of stress from the teething. We’re here to tell you that studies have shown that those theories are false. If your child is experiencing anything out of the normal in any other parts of the body, it most likely is not related to the teething and should be something you might want to speak to the pediatrician about.

This is just a small example of the immense knowledge and experience we have here. At Pediatric Dental Associates, we’ll take the health and development of your child extremely seriously. Our dentists have all received additional training for working with children and we love what we do. Learn more about what we can do for you and your child by contacting us at 201-652-7020.