TEETHING AND TREATMENT

TEETHING AND TREATMENT. Eruption of the primary or milk teeth usually begins in the 5th or 6th months of a child's life. The first appearance of normal teeth is eagerly awaited by the parents. In most cases eruption of teeth causes no distress to the child or parents

    

                         Teething 

Eruption of the primary or milk teeth usually
begins in the 5th or 6th months of a child's life. The
first appearance of normal teeth is eagerly awaited
by the parents. In most cases eruption of teeth
causes no distress to the child or parents but
sometimes the process causes local irritation which
is usually minor but which may be severe enough to
interfere with the child's sleep. The primary teeth or
milk teeth usually come out without difticulty,
"Teething"problems are commonly associated with
eruption of the relatively large last teeth i. e molars
of the child's teeth.
The signs  of teething may be manifested locally and
or systematically to include:

1.  Crying .
2.   Loss of appetite .
3.   sleeplessness .
4.   increased salivation and drooping .
5.   Reduced appetite .
6.    Increase thirst .
7.   Parches of erythema on the cheeks and lips .
8.    Increased body temperature .
9.    General irritability .
10.   Redness or swelling of the gum Over the
           erupting tooth.

TREATMENT OF TEETHING 

1. Teething toys : 

A baby uses hands and mouth

to explore any unfamiliar object's. Teething
toys come in different designed patterns, sizes
and packages. They are designed to satisfy
the natural tendency of the child to bite and suck.
The baby may obtain relief from soreness by
the pressure of biting, and teething toys have
useful function.
      A variety of teething rings, rattles and
keys are available in mother's craft shops.
Parents should be able to purchase only well
made, smooth toys, and some cheap teething
toys can do more harm than good.

2. Teething Foods : 

Hard biscuits products are used in some way as teething toys. Teething foods consist of mainly flour and fat. It is important that they should contain no sugar or sweetening, since this might cause another 

problem to the child.

3. Topical medicaments : 

Various types of ointments and jellies are available for topical application to the gum. The use of, topical 

medicaments helps to control infection at the site of tooth eruption and provide rapid but short-lived pain relief.

4. Use of drugs : 

The administration of drugs as 

prescribed by the dentist should be considered
only if other treatments have been ineffective.
Two main types of drugs are used.

a. Analgesics : 

To relieve pain. Example is paracetamol, syrup, which must be sugar-free. 5ml contains 120mg of paracetamol. Dosage up to 1year 5ml at bedtime, 1-5 years 10ml at  bedtime. 

B. Hypnotic and sedatives : 

It helps to restore normal sleep to the child. 

Regular visit to dental clinic : 

Parents should introduce their children to dental clinic. This is good for the dentist or therapist to start 

seeing the children from an early age to rule 

out any form of diseases or bad habits. 

Parents should make their children's oral 

health as priority.