Teething & Toothaches

Things You Should Know

• The presence of new teeth in your baby is not a reason to stop breastfeeding, although no one enjoys being bitten. If this happens, remove the baby from the breast and say "no" firmly. After a few times, even a tiny baby will learn not to bite.
• Sometimes children will develop a blue or clear swelling where a tooth is trying to break through the gums, called an eruption cyst or eruption haematoma (hee-ma-TOE-ma). This happens because blood vessels break over the tooth that is trying to erupt and leak blood just under the skin. Although a cyst will delay tooth eruption, no treatment is required. This condition should clear up as the tooth surfaces.
• Some babies are born with a few teeth already erupted. This is not a cause for concern and happens to one out of every 3,000 babies.
• Find a dentist that enjoys working with children and your child will have a positive experience during dental visits.
• Regular dentist visits should start no later than three years of age. Some dentists prefer seeing children around age one and others like to wait until a child's primary teeth have erupted.
• To make your child's first dental visit a pleasant experience, read your child a book about going to the dentist, bring your child along when you, a friend or a sibling has a dentist appointment so your child can meet the dentist. Answer questions honestly without giving too much detail, make sure your child has a good night's sleep and schedule morning appointments when your child is well rested.