Can a baby vomit when teething?

Teething is an important event in the life of every child, because he will finally be able to taste solid food. However, the appearance of baby teeth is not always associated with joy and the arrival of the Tooth Fairy. Many children can become irritable and apathetic during the teething period. For some, vomiting, diarrhea, or fever occur when teeth appear.

Whether vomiting is actually caused by teething is controversial. There are no studies confirming the relationship between these natural processes. Most experts agree that teething may cause local pain, but not discomfort in other parts of the body such as rashes or diarrhea.

Other teething symptoms

Some children experience teething without any pain or discomfort. Others may exhibit specific symptoms:

• increased desire to chew;
• salivation;
• cry;
• irritability;
• inability to sleep;
• loss of appetite
• red, tender and swollen gums.

Parents’ concern for the baby’s condition is understandable, because they want to know exactly why the baby’s mood suddenly deteriorated or he began to be capricious.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, none of the following symptoms predict the onset of teething:

• cough;
• disturbed sleep;
• decreased appetite;
• vomit;
• diarrhea;
• rash;
• heat.

Creating a good habit

The habit of brushing your teeth should be established in childhood. If you don’t force your child, but figure out how to turn this activity into an interesting game, your baby will brush his teeth with pleasure. Here are some tips:

• Children love to copy adults, so lead by example by brushing your teeth with your child.
• If you brush your teeth with your baby, at the end open your mouth and show each other how you handled this “task.” If necessary, clean your child's teeth yourself.
• Don't scold him, no matter how badly he cleaned it. Children at this age have not yet developed fine motor skills, so do not expect precise movements from them.
• Let your child associate brushing his teeth with something joyful. Play his favorite children's music, tell him stories about teeth, and draw on a dental theme.
• Keep a piece of paper with a schedule for brushing your teeth. Divide the day into morning and evening (you can draw the sun and moon there) and check the box when you brush your teeth.
• Finally, talk to your child like an adult. Explain to him why brushing his teeth is good. Draw scary microbes on a piece of paper and together figure out how you can fight them.

If your little one refuses to brush his teeth, try buying him a new toothbrush with his favorite cartoon character on it. Get him interested. Get several toothbrushes and let him choose a new one each time.

Why does a baby vomit when teething?

Teething is often wrongly blamed for many symptoms. However, research shows that cough, congestion, vomiting, diarrhea, rashes, fever (over 38°C) and sleep-wake problems are not symptoms of teething. In addition, scientists have found that no single set of symptoms can accurately signal the onset of teething.

The American Academy of Pediatrics explains that from the age of 6 months, a child's immune system weakens, losing maternal antibodies, which increases the risk of exposure to a wide range of diseases, including viruses and bacteria. This is why vomiting may have another cause, but not teething.

Timing of teeth appearance. When do teeth start cutting?

Sometimes parents expect that teeth will start cutting in on time, and if this does not happen, they begin to get seriously nervous, because late appearance of teeth can be one of the symptoms of rickets. And the therapist at the appointment can tell you the timing of their appearance for the same reason.

Don’t panic if your child is already 8-9 months old and still has no teeth. In fact, this is only one of many symptoms of such a serious disease that cannot be considered on its own. The process of teething is individual for each child.

The first tooth can appear between 3 and 10 months. And both extreme options are the norm. Only the later appearance of the first tooth can cause some concern in the absence of other external abnormalities.

The average time for teeth to appear can be represented as follows:

• The 2 lower incisors appear first at 6-8 months of age;
• all 4 upper incisors grow sequentially in the period from 8 to 12 months;
• at approximately 10-13 months, the lower lateral incisors appear;
• the first molars, first the upper and then the lower, are cut at 12-15 months;
• fangs appear at 18-20 months, also first the upper ones, then the lower ones.

All 20 teeth finally appear by 2.5-3 years. Moreover, if the baby’s teeth began to cut early, then the process may be completed earlier - already by 2 years. If, on the contrary, the first tooth appeared only at 9-10 months, the last ones can appear only at 3-5 years.

After a year, the baby may cut several teeth at the same time, and then this process can be really very painful.

How to relieve teething discomfort?

To relieve gum discomfort, you can try massaging or rubbing them with your fingers, or giving your baby a chilled teething ring. If your baby is already chewing, you can offer him raw fruits and vegetables.

Do not give your child painkillers or gum rubs, such as viscous lidocaine or benzocaine. These medications may be harmful if swallowed. The US Food and Drug Administration opposes the use of these drugs due to the risk of overdose.

Overdose symptoms include:

• nervousness;
• confusion;
• vomiting;
• convulsions.

Caring for emerging teeth

Teething is an absolute reason for making the first visit to the pediatric dentist. During the consultation, the doctor identifies all deviations in the structure of the child’s dental apparatus, assesses the condition of the frenulum of his lips and tongue, draws up a dental care plan and a plan for preventive visits to the dental clinic.

It is advisable to brush emerging teeth twice a day. Initially, you should use a baby silicone brush or a small piece of gauze without toothpaste for cleaning. A regular toothbrush can be used when the child is one year old, and toothpaste when he reaches two years of age. In addition, it is important to pay attention to the process of enamel mineralization. In particular, it is necessary to limit the consumption of sweets and include foods enriched with calcium, phosphorus and ascorbic acid in the baby’s diet.

When to see a doctor

Teething can usually be managed at home. However, if a child has a high fever and symptoms not related to teeth, this is a reason to consult a doctor.

Some symptoms, such as vomiting, should not be attributed to teething because they may have a more serious underlying cause. Your doctor may want to run some tests to rule out other health problems.

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Choosing a toothpaste and brush

Has your baby cut his first tooth? Congratulations!

• Until one year of age, parents need to brush their baby’s teeth without toothpaste using a special silicone brush placed on their finger at least once a day.
• At one year old, the baby needs to pick up his first children's toothbrush - without toothpaste for now. It is better if the child chooses it himself. She should interest him, but not scare him away.

What should you pay attention to when choosing a children's toothbrush?

• Decor - kids love bright colors and funny characters.
• The handle should be comfortable, preferably made of non-slip material with a protective ring to avoid injury. Its length should correspond to the age of the child.
• It is important that the brush head is not too large and awkward. The optimal size is 2–3 teeth of a child. To avoid damaging your gums, it is better to choose a brush with a rounded head.
• Soft brushes with a bristle height of no more than 11 mm are suitable for children. It should be even so that the pressure on the surface of the teeth is uniform.
• From 2 to 2.5 years old, it’s time to start using toothpaste and teach your child to brush his teeth on his own. You need to choose a special baby toothpaste without fluoride, because the baby may want to eat it. You can switch to fluoride toothpaste when he learns not to swallow it.

What microelements are needed for teeth growth?

Fluorine

Fluoride strengthens tooth enamel, making it more resistant to acids and harmful bacteria. Thus, it helps prevent the development of caries.

Fluorine is found in:

• Toothpaste - however, remember that toothpaste with a small fluoride content can only be used by children over 4 years old;
• Fluoride-enriched water;
• Chewable tablets or drops;
• Some fruit juices.

Remember that too much fluoride can lead to fluorosis, which is when white spots appear on the teeth. Therefore, it is important not to use too much toothpaste, especially if the child has not yet learned to spit it out.

Calcium

Calcium takes an active part in the mineralization of teeth. A 3-year-old child should receive 800–1100 mg of calcium per day.

Products containing calcium:

• Milk, yogurt;
• Spinach and other green leafy vegetables;
• Broccoli;
• Fish.

In order for calcium to be better absorbed, it needs helpers. One is vitamin D and the other is vitamin K2.

Vitamin K

Calcium is collected and transported into bone tissue using the protein osteocalcin, which normally “dormants” peacefully in the blood. In order to activate it, you need natural vitamin K. It is found in dairy products (milk, yogurt, kefir, cottage cheese - for example, Agusha K2 cottage cheese).

What to feed your child during this period

The period during teething is a reason to change the diet until the pain passes and the tooth comes out. Increased sensitivity of the body provokes unwanted reactions. Recommended:

• Feed thin cereals instead of thick ones.
• Refuse juices, offer compotes.
• Do not overload the body with heavy food.
• In a year, vegetable purees will come in handy.
• Milk and curd products will strengthen teeth during growth.

If the mother does not have breast milk, the infants are given special milk formulas that are age-appropriate. They contain a set of nutrients; when the baby refuses the offered complementary foods, they are replaced. These tips will help you get through difficult times with ease without losing vitamins and microelements that are beneficial to your body.

When a child is in the process of growing teeth, and there is no vomiting, diarrhea, or fever, preference is given to cottage cheese and dairy products. They contain a large amount of calcium necessary for the proper formation of teeth.

How to help a child?

It is impossible to speed up the process of teeth appearing - sometimes it drags on for weeks (for one tooth). The maximum that parents can do is to reduce the number of unpleasant symptoms.

1. Vibucol suppositories can be used as a sedative.
2. As a pain reliever - children's versions of Nurofen and Panadol.
3. As a hygiene product for the oral cavity - gel-based anti-inflammatory toothpastes for children from 0 years old. Asepta Baby paste is designed for little ones. It does not contain fluorides, parabens, or abrasives. Gently cleans teeth, saturating them with calcium. The paste tastes good and is safe - if the child wants, he can swallow it without harm.

Read more about ways to help your baby during teething in other articles in this section.

Main signs and symptoms

Many parents are in a hurry to find out how their children are teething, especially those who are faced with this phenomenon for the first time. Rarely does such a process go unnoticed; most often it manifests itself with characteristic symptoms.

Experts call the following main symptoms that a child is teething:

• worsening sleep;
• increased moodiness and tearfulness of the baby;
• Bad mood;
• swollen and sore gums;
• loss of appetite, sometimes even leading to refusal of food;
• increased salivation;
• the child puts everything into his mouth, so he tries to relieve the pain;
• the formation of various redness and rashes around the mouth caused by skin contact with saliva.

In addition to the main signs indicating the appearance of teeth in children, accompanying symptoms can also be traced. Due to the increased function of the salivary glands, the following may be observed:

• runny nose;
• hoarseness of voice;
• cough without sputum production;
• indigestion in the form of diarrhea.

Often, as a child teethes, the body temperature rises. Usually it stays at around 37.5 ̊C, but it can rise to 39 ̊C.

The most severe pain is accompanied by the eruption of fangs. They have very sharp edges that cut through the gums and cause severe pain. The appearance of the upper “eye teeth” is especially painful, as they are closely connected to the facial nerve.

The approximate timing of eruption of milk jugs is presented in the table below.

Please remember that this is just a rough guide to teething timing. Later dates are also acceptable, but not later than 6 months.