What's teething? Parent Help Info | Love Amber x 2023

Love Amber x

Teething is lots fun! Said no parent ever!

We all know it and we have all been there. Teething can take an equal toll on the toddler as much as on the caregiver or parents; in our case it was a living hell.

The teething period can start when the baby is around 3 months or it can happen very early and some babies are even born with teeth! Teething can last for at least well over six months until the baby gets most their toothy pegs.

It is a fact that when your babies are going through this challenging phase when their little pearly white teeth are emerging out of the gums, they are either cranky, have a fever, drooling, chewing and/or going through a lot of pain and discomfort.

Parents are suffering too with a lack of sleep and cranky baby thrown in for good measure! As parents and caregivers, our first instinct is to make them feel better and comfort the child. This is a fact for all of us and we turn to many things that can help them through this horrendous phase (that can last over a year).

When and how teeth come in can be different for every baby and may be based on family history. But most of the time, the lower front two teeth come in first, followed by the opposite top two teeth and the two on either side of those. Next come the two on either side of the bottom front teeth, then the first molars appear. The teeth in front of the first molars are next, and the back molars are the last ones to come in.

In all, 20 “baby teeth” will eventually be in place, usually by age 3 years.

Yes, you don't. And truthfully, that is the right choice. Many items available on the market are actually dangerous for children under a certain age. A number of big brand numbing products have recently had to change the labelling of their products to not use on babies under three months of age. 

Medicine that you rub on your baby’s gums to stop the pain of teething may not help. It quickly washes away in the mouth and may numb the back of their throat and make it hard for them to swallow.

Stay away from over-the-counter teething gels and liquids that have the ingredient benzocaine. The FDA says this ingredient shouldn’t be given to children under 2. It can cause rare but serious side effects.

How to Care for Baby’s New Teeth

Good oral hygiene is important, even before your baby has teeth:

• Until teeth start to come in, clean your baby’s gums with a wet washcloth or piece of gauze at least once a day.
• Once they have teeth, clean your baby’s mouth the same way at least twice a day. After feedings is a good time for this.
• After their first birthday, you can start to use a soft-bristled baby toothbrush with water and a small amount of toothpaste that doesn’t have fluoride in it. You can also start flossing between their teeth.

Amber jewellery is often called teething necklaces, teething anklet and teething bracelets but they are not for putting in the mouth while teething. Only silicone jewellery is suitable for teething babies as that is safe to chew on. Sure amber looks pretty like chewing accessories, but they should not be treated like one. We explain more here in our amber teething jewellery safety blog and the reasons why they cannot be called amber teething necklaces anymore.

Amber is an entirely natural resin obtained from trees that are most common in Europe's Baltic region, more specifically, the area that lies on the Baltic Sea shores. Amber is formed when this tree resin gets fossilised so it has to be old amber not young copal amber which is often passed off as the same. 

At Love Amber x we carry a range of gemstones and adult jewellery to help you as the caregiver to remain calm and rested. We also sell children's jewellery for siblings over 3 to help deal with the transition and arrival of a new baby! Newborn and toddlers can be quite stressful but its not forever. This too shall pass x