Tooth decay as well as teething can cause toothache in babies. Babies may feel pain in their mouths even before they have their first tooth. As their gum erupts for the new tooth, they may feel the pain. After their teething pains, they may again feel more pain especially when their baby teeth will decay. Although their first tooth does not appear until they are about six months old, their tooth buds have already been formed before they are born. Babies usually have all of their teeth by the time they reach three years old.
Toothache in babies that are caused by teething or by tooth decay can make their gums swollen and tender. Babies may also have some slight fever during the teething stage. They often are irritable and they cry more often than usual. Babies are expected to drool and at times they grab things that they can chew. Toothache in babies that is caused by tooth decay can make the gums bleed or it can also cause pus build up around the tooth. It is important that tooth decays are treated because it can lead to infection aside from the tooth falling out.
Toothache in babies may develop because of prolonged use of baby bottles or baby sip cups that are used for baby formula and juices that contain sugar. In time, this will cause their teeth to start decaying especially when the babies are put to sleep while their baby bottles are in their mouths. Tooth decay may also develop in toddlers who are given something to drink before they sleep at night. When the babies sleep, bacteria work on the teeth and this causes it to decay.
Toothache in babies may be prevented. Mothers may clean the mouth and the tongue of their babies even if they do not have any tooth yet. They may use a very soft brush on the teeth that have emerged and they may use a strip of gauze to wipe the gums as well as the inside of the mouth and the tongue.
Parents may let their babies take some medication after being advised by their pediatrician.
Toothache in babies that is caused by teething may be eased by massaging their gum lines. Parents may also give them a rubber teething ring that they can chew. However, parents have to see to it that they are made of safe rubber material. Although medications can be applied on the painful gums directly, it would be better for parents to refrain from using it because it does not stay long on the gums and it may just be swallowed by babies.
