Baby’s Gingival Pain When Teeth Erupt

A baby’s gingival pain is the result of a long and often painful process of tooth decay that all children have to go through during the first months of their lives. Although the time of onset of a baby’s first tooth cannot be accurately predicted, in most children, the first tooth erupts at about seven months of age.

All of a baby’s baby teeth should have erupted by the age of 2.5. Symptoms during tooth extraction vary from child to child; some babies show different symptoms for several months, some only a few days before the tooth erupts.

Here are a few tips to help you relieve the gingival pain associated with your baby’s teeth erupting. It is very important that you talk to your nurse or pediatrician if your child has symptoms other than gingival pain such as fever, very severe tenderness in an irritated mouth or problems with eating.

Tooth eruption and baby gingival pain

Tooth eruption can be a painful process and cause crying, drooling, and other abnormal behavior as the baby tries to control the pain.

However, it is not worth worrying too much about baby gingival pain, as it is a normal symptom associated with the eruption of teeth that almost all children go through. Instead,  bleeding gums may be a worrying sign. The gums may bleed when the teeth break down their sensitive tissue, but the bleeding may also be due to bacteria that cause inflammation.

Other symptoms associated with tooth decay include soreness, swelling, bruising, and gingival pain.

Relieving baby gingival pain

There are many things you can try to soothe your child’s pain before resorting to painkillers or pain gels.  Below are a few ways to soothe your baby’s gingival pain:

• Rub your baby’s sore gums with a clean finger or wet gauze to numb them momentarily. Babies like this kind of pressure in their gums because it distracts the brain from the pain caused by the eruption of teeth.
• Give your baby a chew toy. Silicone-based solid chew toys are better options than liquid-filled toys because they do not leak and can be sterilized.
• If your baby is over 6 months old, you can let him chew cold, soft foods like bananas, cucumbers or unflavoured yogurt. Do not give your child hard foods as they may break into pieces and cause the baby to suffocate.

• Never attach any painkiller around the baby’s neck to make it easier to use, as this always poses a risk of strangulation.
• You can also try giving your child small amounts of cold water.

On the other hand, over-the-counter painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen can significantly relieve gum pain. The dosage of such drugs should be very careful and take into account the weight of the baby. Always talk to a health care professional before giving your child medications or homeopathic remedies or using painkillers.

When is it time to go to the hospital?

If the child has no symptoms other than swelling of the gums and other  typical ailments associated with the eruption of teeth, there is no need to worry. If you notice that your baby has other symptoms or behaves abnormally, take the child to a doctor immediately.

We also recommend that you contact your doctor or doctor if you notice that your child is suffering from one or more of the following symptoms:

• Problems eating
• There is a sudden change in the nature of the child
• The child has blood in his navel
• High fever
• Diarrhea, constipation, dehydration or vomiting

Also, keep in mind that as you rub your baby’s gums, you’ll notice at the same time whether the baby’s pain is due to the eruption of teeth. In most cases, there is no need to worry too much. The eruption of teeth is natural and occurs over time for everyone.