Baby Teeth

If your child’s baby teeth are starting to erupt and seem to be bothering them, you can rub their gums with your finger or rub their gums with the back of a small chilled spoon. If the pain persists, your dentist, pharmacist or doctor may recommend an over-the-counter medicine to ease the pain.

• DO NOT give your child teething cookies. They may contain added or hidden sugar.
• DO NOT underestimate a fever. The eruption of new teeth DOES NOT make babies ill or give them a fever. If your child’s body temperature is going up and down, consult your doctor.

All 20 baby teeth will appear by the time your child is two or three years old.

It is normal for babies to suck. That is how they relax and eat. By the time children are two or three, they have less need to suck. If your child still likes to do so, it is better to give them a pacifier (soother) rather than let them suck their thumb.

Why? Because YOU can control when and how your child uses a pacifier, but not their thumb. Never put sugar, honey or corn syrup on a pacifier because they can cause cavities. It is best to get your child to stop sucking the pacifier BEFORE the age of three. Letting children continue to suck their thumb or a pacifier AFTER their permanent teeth have come out could affect how their jaw grows and the position of their teeth.