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Submitted by: Margaret Watson

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The first signs of teething are usually visible some time after the third month, though babies are occasionally born with teeth. Even before a baby was born tooth buds were developing in the baby's jaws. The average age for a first tooth is around the 6th month. Drooling lots of saliva is certainly a common sign, but so are red gums, finger sucking and gnawing. If the baby seems in pain do get him checked and ask what is the best treatment, as ear ache can cause the same sort of symptoms. Brushing the baby's gums from an early age will get baby used to this and brushing gently every day will encourage good habits. The appearance of the first tooth is usually the sign that your child is ready for some firmer foods, though breast feeding should be continued. Although I know some mothers swear by them, I personally never used a pacifier because I had seen too many mothers struggling later to stop a child from using one. In an extreme case it was removed at the school gate and replaced later! A teething ring on the other hand may give temporary satisfaction. It takes about 3 years before all the baby teeth are in place and, at whatever age they appear, it will always be in the same order.

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Submitted by: Aida

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Excessive drooling is often linked to teething, but it's also a normal developmental stage of infancy. So, don't assume that she is teething yet. There's no way to tell whether your baby's drooling is related to teething unless you can see a red, swollen, bruised-looking area on the lower gum line and other symptoms such as fuzziness and irritability. Teething typically, but not necessarily, begins by the sixth month with the two bottom front teeth. Also, pacifiers are fine for babies as long as they are the right size and your child wants it. But emphasize that parents should discourage the use of it by 2 or 2 and a ½ years. Something else I found... ...excessive drooling can be healthy. Saliva bathes the teeth and gums, washing away accumulated food and bacteria. The enzymes in saliva also help break down the carbohydrates in food, operating as a head start in the digestive process. In addition, saliva is a natural intestinal lubricant: Infants commonly suffer from gastroesophageal reflux (regurgitation of the acidic stomach contents into the esophagus); saliva lubricates the lining of the esophagus and helps neutralize the acidity. It also contains a healthy substance called epidural growth factor, which helps the intestinal lining mature. - William Sears MD

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