TEETHING

                                                   

Teething is the process by which an infant's first teeth (the deciduous teeth, often called "baby teeth" or "milk teeth") sequentially appear by emerging through the gums.
 Teething may start as early as three months or as late as twelve months.
The first teeth typically appear between six and nine months. It can take several years for all 20 teeth to complete the tooth eruption; they typically arrive in pairs.
 Though the process of teething is sometimes referred to as "cutting teeth", when teeth emerge through the gums they do not cut through the flesh.
. Instead, special chemicals are released within the body that cause some cells in the gums to die and separate, allowing the teeth to come through. Teething may cause a slightly elevated temperature, but not rising into the febrile range, 100–101 °F (37.8–38.3 °C). Higher temperatures during teething are due to some form of infection, such as a herpes virus, initial infection of which is extremely widespread among children of teething age.

History :
Teething used to be considered (wrongly) a cause of death, as many children died in the first years of life, at the same time as teething occurs.
Ironically, while teething is a natural process which creates little more than discomfort, some methods for relieving teething pain have caused serious harm and even death.
Sequence of appearance
:
The infant teeth tend to emerge in pairs - first one lower incisor emerges then the other lower incisor emerges before the next set begin to emerge. The general pattern of emergence is:

   1. Lower central incisors (2) at approximately 6 months
   2. Upper central incisors (2) at approximately 8 months
   3. Upper lateral incisors (2) at approximately 10 months
   4. Lower lateral incisors (2) at approximately 10 months
   5. First molars (4) at approximately 14 months
   6. Canines (4) at approximately 18 months
   7. Second molars (4) at approximately 2–3 years
Milk teeth tend to emerge sooner in females than in males.
The soreness and swelling of the gums before a tooth comes through is the cause for the pain.

COMMON SYMPTOMS :-  include drooling or dribbling, mood changes, irritability or crankiness, and swollen gums. Crying, sleeplessness, restless sleep at night, and mild fever are also associated with teething.
 Teething can begin as early as 3 months and continue until a child's third birthday.
 Pain is often associated more with large molars since they cannot penetrate through the gums as easily as the other teeth.
Some noticeable symptoms that a baby has entered the teething stage include chewing on their fingers or toys to help relieve pressure on their gums. Babies might also refuse to eat or drink due to the pain.
Pulling on the ears is another sign of pain; the pain in the mouth throbs throughout the baby's head so they pull their ears believing that it will provide relief. Mild rash can develop around the mouth due to skin irritation that is caused by excessive drooling or dribbling.
TREATMENT  :-
 Rubbing a finger gently along the gums in search for swollen ridges or the feel of a tooth below the gums is one way to be certain.
A teething ring is generally a soft plastic device that can be chewed on and allows the baby to break down some of the gum tissue which promotes the growth of the teeth out of the gum.
 Placing a wet washcloth in the freezer for a few minutes and then applying it gently to the gums can be effective.
Teething rings and other toys, called teethers, are often designed with textures that will appeal to an infant during teething.
Drawing water into a pacifier and freezing it as another way to offer a teething child relief.
Some children respond well to chilled foods.
 chilled foods :-  
 applesauce, yogurt, and pureed fruits.
Dentists may recommend against the use of fluoride toothpaste during teething.
MEDICATION:-
 Infant - obvious pain  :- non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or child-safe pain-relief treatments containing benzocaine, lidocaine, or choline salicylate is recommended.
 applying a gel of 20% benzocaine in polyethylene glycol may be given.
Medicines are often applied to the babies' gums to relieve swelling and pain.
 Teething gels work as a numbing agent to dull the nerves in the gums so that the pain is less noticeable.