The development and growth of babies are extremely rapid, and the teething period is a very important phase in their growth and development. During this stage, parents must provide proper care, as any oversight may affect the baby's future growth.
Many parents become anxious and worried when they notice that their baby's teething period is later than that of their peers. In fact, the timing of teething is largely related to genetics. If parents themselves experienced late teething as children, it is more likely that their baby will also teethe later. Therefore, there is no need to worry if a baby starts teething late. Babies have individual differences—some may begin teething at 4 or 5 months, while others may not sprout new teeth until after their first birthday. These are all completely normal phenomena.
During the teething process, babies may experience some discomfort due to the emerging teeth. The following symptoms are normal and can be managed with timely and proper care:
Excessive drooling: When babies are teething, they may produce more saliva, leading to excessive drooling.
Chewing or biting objects: The discomfort in the gums and teeth may cause babies to chew or bite on things to alleviate the discomfort.
Irritability: The discomfort during teething can make babies more irritable and prone to crying.
Solution 1
When a baby is teething, parents can provide harder foods or teething toys to help ease the discomfort. When introducing complementary foods, giving babies slightly harder foods not only helps exercise their chewing function but also stimulates their gums. Additionally, it’s best to clean the baby’s mouth after each feeding, either by using gauze or rinsing with water. This helps prevent leftover food residues from fermenting in the mouth and damaging the teeth, promoting oral health and good hygiene habits.
Avoid feeding babies only overly soft or pureed foods during the teething period, as this does not help exercise their chewing ability. Lack of gum stimulation may delay tooth development or even lead to misaligned teeth.
Solution 2
The best way to feed a baby during the teething period is to adjust their diet and nutritional intake based on the number of teeth they have. When a baby has 2 teeth, semi-solid foods are sufficient; when they have 4 teeth, the nutritional content of their food should be increased to ensure adequate nourishment; and when they have 6 to 8 teeth, they can start eating solid foods.
The above information provides tips for caring for babies during their teething period. We hope it helps parents ensure their babies develop healthy teeth and oral hygiene, growing up healthy and happy.
