Teething is a phase during which your baby’s first set of teeth, called primary teeth, break through the gums. This is quite a challenging phase for every baby. Their gums are red, puffy and swollen and they experience constant pain and irritation in their mouth. This is why most kids are quite irritable, restless and even fussier than usual when they are teething. Teething symptoms usually begin about 3 to 5 days before the tooth shows, and they disappear as soon as the tooth breaks through the gums. Here is why your baby is cranky when he is teething:

• Loss of Appetite
  Due to pain that your baby is experiencing in his gums, his refusal to food should not come as a surprise. Since your baby is now also hungry besides being in pain, his crankiness is quite expected.
• Fever
  Most kids become feverish when their new tooth is going to emerge. This just adds to their discomfort and makes them more irritable.
• Chewing
  When babies are teething, due to irritation in their mouth, they have the urge to chew on something to ease their pain. There are many wonderful teething toys available in the market for the same purpose. Make sure the toys are properly cleaned and sterilised to avoid the baby contracting any kind of infection.
• Drooling
  Another reason for your baby to feel irritated due to teething is drooling. Gently wipe the drool off your baby's chin as often as you can with a soft cotton cloth and apply a baby cream on the baby’s chin to protect his skin from further irritation.
• Cold and Cough
  Some babies have symptoms of cold like cough or a running nose which just adds to their misery and upsets them even more.
• Rash
  Most babies that are teething develop a rash around their mouth, on their chin or chest. The itch due to the rash makes most babies lose their cool.
• Loss of Sleep
  Due to excessive pain and irritation, many babies lose sleep. This makes them irritable and all the more irksome.
• Diarrhoea
  This common symptom of teething makes the child even crankier. The baby may be swallowing excessive amounts of saliva, causing a looser stool or diarrhoea.

Now that you know all that can go wrong with your precious little one when S/he is teething, follow some of the dental care tips given below to make them feel better:

• Massage your baby’s gums gently, for about 2 minutes, to help ease their irritation. Do this several times a day, especially after meals.
• Provide safe objects for your baby to chew on, such as teething rings. You can also give him a cool and safe teething object to help him feel better.
• Consult your paediatric dentist and ask him if there is a gel or oral medication that you can give your baby to ease his trauma.
• Avoid self-medication as this may cause harm to your child.

Visit Dabur's complete range of time tested natural toothpastes which combine power of nature and science for solving all dental issues. Use Dabur's the best toothpaste in India to keep your teeth healthy and strong.

Maintaining proper oral hygiene and using the right toothpaste plays a vital role in keeping dental problems such as plaque, gingivitis, tartar and tooth decay away. Visit our blog to know more about dental care and following an oral care routine to keep teeth strong and healthy.