Dictionary Definition
teething n : the eruption through the gums of
baby teeth [syn: dentition, odontiasis]
User Contributed Dictionary
English
Pronunciation
-
- Rhymes: -iːðɪŋ
Noun
- the eruption, through the gums, of the milk teeth; dentition
Derived terms
Verb
teething- present participle of teethe
Extensive Definition
Teething is the process during which an infant's teeth start to sequentially grow
in. Teething can start as early as three months or as late, in some
cases, as twelve months. Occasionally a baby may even present with
one or more teeth at birth. The typical time frame for new teeth to
appear is somewhere between six and nine months. It can take up to
several years for all 20 deciduous (aka "baby" or "milk") teeth to
emerge. The process of teething is sometimes referred to as
"cutting teeth".
The infant teeth tend to emerge in pairs - first
one upper incisor emerges then the other upper incisor emerges
before the next set begin to emerge. The general pattern of
emergence is:
Milk
teeth tend to emerge sooner in females than in males. The exact
pattern and initial starting times of teething appear to be
hereditary. When and
how teeth appear in an infant has no bearing on the health of the
child.
During teething, the new teeth break through the
surface of the gums. Signs
of teething may include
Teething has not been shown to cause fever. A
slight rise of temperature may occur when the teeth come through
the gum, but this does not make a baby ill.
Infants chew on objects to aid in the teething
process. This can be dangerous if the baby is allowed to chew on
objects which are small enough to be swallowed or which could break
while being chewed and cause choking. Teething rings and
other toys are often designed with textures that will appeal to an
infant during teething.
In cases where the infant is in obvious pain,
some doctors recommend the use of anti-inflammatories or child-safe
pain-relief treatments containing benzocaine. Some infants gain
relief from chewing on cold objects.
Dentists recommend
brushing infants' teeth as soon as they appear. It is not advisable
to wait for the teething process to be complete. Dentists may
recommend against the use of fluoride toothpaste during
teething.
See also
External links
teething in Min Nan: Ni-khí
teething in German: Milchgebiss
teething in Dutch: Melkgebit
teething in Polish: Ząbkowanie
(medycyna)