help me oh glorious and geeky MNers, i quickly need to research 'teething'. signs, remedies, breastfeeding with teeth, toothbrushing, all that sort of stuff. i'd love it if a dentist could give me a hand... where's Come O'Veneer when i need her?

[PoppyCock]

...probably off yanking some poor bugger's tooth out, sheesh.

seriously chaps, tell me every interesting fact you know about paediatric dental health. evidence, research would be good too.

so very grateful. i know i don't look like a regular poster but i am, i am. i'm just a bit feart that my ed might swing by and put two and two together....

[PoppyCock]

and no guessing who i am, that would spoil it. this means you, littlelapin. [hard stare]

[PoppyCock]

c'mooon. you can't all still be bad-mouthing that poor child's parents, surely?

[CantSleepWontSleep]

I can tell you that my nearly 16 month old is teething now, and I know this because she expects my norks to be permanently available for her to suck on, instead of just to feed on twice a day. She also has lots of hideous nappies.

We don't do dribbling or red cheeks in the CSWS household.

[hunkermunker]

DS1 had a temp of over 40 with every tooth he cut from the age of 12m till well over two (when they were all through).

DS2 has some of the nastiest nappies known to man when he's teething.

[PoppyCock]

okay ladies, keep it coming. i never quite cracked the whole bfing thing... can you tell me what it's like to bf when your child is teething? do they eat you alive, for example.

[hunkermunker]

No.

Otherwise I wouldn't do it

Both DSs cut their first teeth around 6m - DS1 just before, DS2 just after iirc.

They both did "test biting" when they first got teeth - an "OW!" and a swift, firm, but gentle little chin-pull put paid to that.

The received wisdom is to pull your baby in close so their nose is blocked by your breast and they open their mouths.

It used to make DS1 hold on tighter and growl, so I didn't do it with DS2!

Sometimes I get a bit of a graze from a new tooth as they learn to adjust their position to take into account the new teeth in their mouths, but it only rubs a bit for a little while, then they work it out. I am very careful about positioning them when they're teething.

Am I helping?

[CantSleepWontSleep]

Here was me talking about it a couple of days ago.

It is getting very tedious now (eg she's been bouncing up and down on my lap swiching from one side to the other then back again for the last 30 mins), but like Hunker found, I usually only get little nips (as it bites, not nipples!) when the tooth first starts to cut.

[PoppyCock]

you are So Helping, hunks.

[CantSleepWontSleep]

Should add that I would have no idea how to console her when teething if I wasn't bf. She doesn't allow me to put anything in her mouth, so getting medicine onto her gums is impossible.

[hunkermunker]

I did actually have a small, unpainful, graze-like scab on my right nipple for a little while when DS2 first cut his top teeth.

More like dry skin than anything big gapey and sore though.

I have found Dentinox and Medised (with infant nurofen for particularly high temps, although never on an empty stomach first thing in the morning for reasons of vomiting) the best combination.

I can't get teething powders in DS2's mouth (stubborn and stronger than me) and DS1 just used to look puzzled by them - then still get hot.

[PoppyCock]

i just used to put it on dd's dummy but i can't help but think that's the sort of thing that would be frowned on in this publication . and i thought ashton and parsons powders were wank but i just know i'm goiing to have to recommend them over Boots' Blitz Yer Gums Gel.

[hunkermunker]

Although DS2 is Not Keen on teething gel either - DS1 was addicted to the stuff - he still asks for it sometimes...at 3.1!

[hunkermunker]

I think I know who you are - can you email me more details of what you're doing please as I'm very, very nosey

[ComeOVeneer]

What do you want to know, exactly?

[CantSleepWontSleep]

Oh then do mention that Ashton & Parsons are in a lactose base, so not suitable for the around 7% of babies who are milk intolerant.`

DD won't use a dummy, so no option with that here.

[CantSleepWontSleep]

I assumed that you knew exactly who she was hunker! I believe that I also know.

[PoppyCock]

what do dentists recommend wrt getting children inducted into the ways of Good Oral Hygiene? any proper top tips other than just 'get them to copy you etc'?
also, Does It Hurt? because the American Dentistry websites say it doesn't but that is far from my impression.
and is there any truth in the loose stools stuff? by which i mean, where might i go looking for research on teething, symptoms etc.
and crooked teeth when they come through, should we fret? and will some babies be worse teethers than others?

that sort of thing... (i know, it's a zillion questions)

[PoppyCock]

of course you know... let's just not make it too obvious. (what with the near-constant use of the ellipse and the Lack of Capitalisation other than for effect).

[ComeOVeneer]

There are 2 groups of thought re the loose stools associated with teething. The general teaching when I was at uni was it is coincidental and not linked, however it seems to happen to too many infants. I would be surprised that many get some kind of stomach bug at the same time as teething.

Crooked teeth. Well initially we don't worry too much as if the space is avaliable they usually self correct. One thing we are concerned about is if the baby teeth coome through very closed together or crowded as this is a strong indication there will be crowding issues with the adult teeth.

They don't teach you anything about breast feeding and teeth at uni tbh, however the first time I realised dd had teeth was when she bit me whilst feeding, but it was not really a problem.

[CantSleepWontSleep]

I believe that the loose stools are simply due to excess saliva being produced and swallowed.

One top tip I was given wrt cleaning - give them a child's toothbrush to play with in the bath from a very young age - they stuff everything in their mouths when young, so it gets them used to the feel of one in there before they get teeth.

If anecdotal evidence is anything to go by, some are definitely worse teethers than others.

[ComeOVeneer]

Children vary greatly when teething and with each tooth. DD for instance cut every tooth with no fuss or symptoms what so ever, where as with ds some have caused big problems, some mild symptoms and some none at all.

[ComeOVeneer]

Promoting good oral hygiene.

Don't make it into a big issue/fight as that makes it harder.

Let them do it a bit themselves then let you "finish off"

Let them do your teeth, then you gdo theirs (be prepared to gag on a toothbrush half way down your throat)

As cleaning can be hit and miss with children (one day they cooperate the next they are horrendous) diet is the key. You can control what goes into them so look out for hidden sugars in foods.

[hunkermunker]

I took DS1 to the doctor each time he had a high temp (41.3 was his "record") - to rule out ear, chest or throat infections - things he couldn't tell me about, being just one.

But they always said he was a healthy child with a high temperature and it was "probably teeth".

[FrannyandZooey]

I have anecdotal teething / bf stuff for you if it helps

we didn't have much bother when the first ones came through but later on, when the bottom ones were through it seemed to be pretty uncomfortable to have a long feeding session, as they kind of rested against and grazed the nipple in a most unpleasant way

it was temporary, luckily, althought lasted much longer than I would have liked

[ComeOVeneer]

Will try and dig out some research for you later tonight once kids are in bed.