How teeth are cut: the order in which they appear
Every adult can understand how a baby feels when his first teeth are cut - just remember how the so-called “wisdom teeth” appeared.
Swelling of the gums, itching and pain - you must admit, this is not pleasant. Therefore, infants often become capricious during the teething process. They may lose appetite and sleep, and even have a slight rise in temperature. The earliest time for baby teeth to erupt is at the incisors (front teeth). There are four of them on each jaw. As a rule, the lower two incisors erupt first (at 6-8 months), then the upper central incisors. The teeth appear in pairs opposite to each other, this is important for the formation of a correct primary bite. At 8-12 months, the baby develops lateral incisors (first on the lower jaw, then on the upper). At one year old, a child should have eight teeth. After this there is a short break in their appearance.
Next in the sequence are fangs. There are two of them on each jaw. The location and structure of these teeth makes their eruption especially difficult and difficult for the child. At the age of 16-20 months, fangs will appear on the lower jaw, and then on the upper jaw. Then comes the turn of the painters (large molars). They begin to erupt at 20-30 months, each child at its own time. There are a total of 20 teeth in the primary occlusion, 10 on each jaw: 4 incisors, 2 canines and 4 painters. All of them should appear by 2.5-3 years.
Signs of teething
How can parents understand that their child is teething? The easiest way to find out about this is by the child’s changed behavior. He sleeps worse and is capricious. He loses his appetite (may completely refuse to eat). But similar symptoms can be caused by other reasons. Therefore, the most obvious sign can be considered swelling of the gums (a small red bump appears on it, which parents can feel rather than see).
The child's changed behavior is associated with the movement of the tooth in the jaw. It seems to tear the gums from the inside, which explains the unpleasant sensations: itching, burning and pain. To remove them, the child can scratch his gums, pull various objects into his mouth, and bite. You cannot stop this behavior; you just need to replace inappropriate objects (for example, toys) with special teethers, the purpose of which is to help relieve the unpleasant consequences of teething.
It is because of the unpleasant sensations that the child may begin to refuse food, especially hot food (increases the pain). A light massage of the gums may help, which should be performed before feeding. It will relieve some of the itching and pain.
During teething, the baby's temperature can rise to 38º, but not higher. Until the teeth appear, parents should pay as much attention to the child as possible, distracting him from unpleasant sensations. This will help the baby get through a difficult time for him.
Prevention of eating disorders in children
Eating disorder
is a complex of symptoms that arise due to long-term exposure to behavioral, emotional, psychological, interpersonal and social factors.
Appetite is a feeling associated with the need for food, regulating the intake of nutrients into the body.
Even at the age of 3-4 months of the intrauterine period, taste sensitivity begins to form (the taste of amniotic fluid is determined by the mother’s diet). After birth, breast milk is the ideal food for the baby.
Decreased appetite
occurs for various reasons: during illness, during teething, in stressful situations, when physical activity is limited. Recently, more and more often we have to deal with a decrease in appetite in children of the first year of life. Rates of food refusal are higher in the group of children with developmental disorders.
The most common complaints in children with eating disorders are: lack of hunger (the child does not ask to eat), refusal to eat (active emotional arousal, purses lips, turns away from bottles, spoons), refusal of complementary foods.
Prevention of eating disorders
you need to start from the intrauterine period of the child’s development. A pregnant woman's diet should be varied (milk and dairy products, vegetables, fruits, meat, cereals), balanced in proteins, fats and carbohydrates.
Soon after birth, you can already prepare the baby for the period when it is time to introduce the first complementary foods. From the age of 3 months, the mother is recommended to keep the baby close to her while eating. At this point, the child will remember some table behavior skills. He will see what mom eats and smell the food. Over time, he will develop an interest in food. The more a child sees of cutlery on the table, types of food, ways of serving dishes, the more impulses enter the brain, development occurs and interest in food increases.
Next, the cognitive stage begins, which consists of the formation of general ideas about food, rituals regarding food, and knowledge of the rules of behavior at the table. During this period, the child remembers where which family member sits at the table.
The mother should take the child with her on the far knee and not close to the table, this gives the opportunity to observe and examine the cutlery. He will quickly learn how to use cutlery and master the basic rules of behavior at the table.
It is important to remember that if a child starts playing at the table, he needs to be removed from the table! “Go and play in the game room, they eat at the table, not play.”
Food interest is considered formed
when the baby begins to reach out specifically to food, and not to objects on the table or mother’s face, when it becomes clear that he is interested in what is there in mother’s spoon and plate, how deliciously she eats.
Everything must be on time: at the moment when the child has maximum interest in food, it is necessary to take advantage of this; if you endure it, the interest will fade away, and then it will develop worse and later. IMPORTANT! CATCH YOUR INTEREST IN FOOD AND COMBINE WITH THE START OF COMPLETE FEEDING!
The stage of first acquaintance with a new way of eating
(from 4.5-6 months). The mother eats, and the child gets it: the mother eats with pleasure, several foods are on the table so that there is something to choose from, the child first receives microdoses. If a child reaches out, look at the child’s emotions. The spoon was dipped into the complementary food dish - the child licked it - wonderful.
Principles of eating behavior
must be observed by all family members (all food is mother’s, only mother gives food to everyone, the child asks for food and receives it in a certain place.) Important: gradual increase in portions, each child has his own pace, it is better to underfeed than to overfeed. You have your place at the table, you can eat in a certain place.
The mother’s task is to put food on the table, how much she eats is the child’s responsibility. If a child starts to run, then he runs when you eat. You ate, but the child ran around and didn’t have time - that’s his problem. It is necessary to separate food and breast sucking: “now we eat at the table and eat, and the breast after eating” clearly show the restriction of the breast.
What if the child doesn't eat enough?
Start with the question - how much does mom eat? Does the child see his mother eating? – the main thing is to maintain food interest. If a baby does not see how his family eats, how his mother eats, he will not develop an interest in food.
The following situations include loss of food interest:
- force fed
- Everything is presented to the child on a plate - he does not get food (the main thing is that there is something to eat, how much, this is the child’s task)
- excessive overprotection, constant satisfaction of any child’s requests, which leads to loss of interest and refusal to eat
- Parents’ attitude towards food: persistent persuasion or even threats, manipulation
- negative events in the family accompanied by food intake (if parents sort things out at the table during meals)
- severe stress and unfavorable psycho-emotional background in the family.
When food interest is formed correctly and the necessary complementary foods are introduced, certain rules should be followed to avoid eating disorders in the future:
- Do not watch TV or play on iPads or phones while eating
- the family eats with the child, creating a culture of food consumption
- no conflicts at the table, during breakfasts, lunches and dinners, only calm conversations, positively colored
- follow a food regime on time
- If your child is not hungry by a certain meal time, don’t be afraid to skip it, he will definitely be hungry by the next time
- food should be beautifully presented
- Do not show your child dessert until he has finished the main course.
- You cannot force a child to finish eating or force food
- Avoid any unpleasant emotional experiences while eating
- avoid snacking (do not give cookies and other foods between meals)
- If eating disorders are more than a year old and breastfeeding is practiced, do not breastfeed between main meals.
Thus, by organizing proper nutrition for a child at an early age, accustoming him to various types of food, it is possible to avoid eating disorders, form correct taste habits, and create a rational stereotype of nutrition for a child, and later for an adult.
There are situations when poor appetite is associated with any health problems. They are not common compared to behavioral reasons. But, if, while following these recommendations, there is no appetite, the child refuses to eat, or lags behind according to the tables for weight and age, you need to bring this to the attention of a doctor. You may need the help of a gastroenterologist or psychotherapist.
Replacing baby teeth with permanent teeth
Eruption of molars begins at the age of 6-7 years. First, the large molars are shown (usually on the lower jaw). Then the pattern of baby teeth eruption is repeated. The incisors on the lower jaw are the first to change, and at the age of 7-8 years, the incisors on the upper jaw are also replaced. At the same time, the lower lateral incisors can also change.
At 8-9 years old, the upper incisors will change. It's the fangs' turn. At the same time (9-10 years), teeth that were not in the primary occlusion - premolars - begin to grow. There are four premolars on each jaw - two on the left and two on the right. At the age of 12, the fangs on the upper jaw will change. At this stage, the formation of the height of the bite begins, which has both aesthetic and functional significance.
The last teeth (wisdom teeth or third molars) appear between the ages of 17 and 25. Only after this can we say that the formation of the dental arches is completely completed.
When replacing baby teeth with permanent molars, it is important to pay attention to the bite. It is easy to correct at a young age, while adults will have to correct it throughout their lives. By regularly visiting a pediatric dentist, you can intervene in the process of bite formation in a timely manner. In addition, a specialist can monitor the eruption of baby and molar teeth (so that it is not too early or late), give recommendations to alleviate the child’s condition, and recommend special baby suppositories or gels for teething.
How to help your baby during this period
The time of birth of milk rudiments is an important period in the life of a newborn. Since it is accompanied by difficulties and pain, every parent should pay more attention to their child, take care of him, and calm the crybaby. If a child has severe gum inflammation, it should be shown to a doctor. Care and affection will help compensate for the baby's discomfort. You shouldn’t start weaning your baby these days, because it’s additional stress for him. It is better to distract the child from difficulties by keeping him busy with an interesting game, which causes a positive mood. And:
- Unpleasant sensations in the mouth are alleviated by special rings, rubber elastic toys that the child chews, thereby scratching the gums.
- Chewing a bagel or bread crust relieves itching.
- You can use gels such as Kamistad, Kalgel, Cholisal, which must be prescribed by a doctor. Applying and rubbing drugs into mucous tissues will eliminate pain. The medicine contains antiseptics and analgesics. The drug has a calming effect.
- Saliva flowing from the mouth should be blotted with a soft cloth to prevent irritation of delicate skin.
- Dentists recommend using local anesthetics such as Dentol. The basis of the drug is benzocaine.
- Tablets of Ibuprofen, Paracetamol or baby suppositories and syrups may be prescribed.
- The child's condition will be eased by a gentle massage of the gum tissue. It is performed with a finger dressed in a sterile fingertip. You can use a special nozzle equipped with silicone bristles.
It is important that parents do not miss dangerous symptoms. You should definitely visit a doctor if the color of the crowns changes. Blackish areas in the area of the tooth neck indicate a chronic inflammatory process. With a yellowish-greenish tint, disturbances in bilirubin metabolism can be suspected. A reddish color indicates metabolic disorders of pigment such as porphyria. We must not allow ulcers, stomatitis, or damage to the mucous membrane to appear in the mouth. It is forbidden to use aspirin and alcohol solutions, or to lick your baby’s pacifier or spoon, so as not to introduce pathogenic bacteria. Even with a typical picture of the appearance of chewing organs, a visit to the doctor will not be superfluous.
