Teething is the process in which an infant’s first teeth emerge through the gums. This type of teeth is usually referred to as baby teeth milk teeth but they are usually known as deciduous teeth. The teething process starts as soon as 3 months for some kids and others after the 11th month. The lower two teeth are the first ones to appear and after around 4 to 7 weeks later the front four upper teeth emerge. The lateral incisors are next, appearing after 4 weeks and later on the molars appear. It may take up to around four years for a kid to have all of the 20 primary teeth fully developed.

Teething is at times called the cutting of teeth whereby the teeth pierce the gums so that they emerge. But this is not the case as some chemicals are secreted to perform the purpose of killing the cells in gums so that the tooth can make it through. In some rare cases infants may be born with one or two teeth or have a tooth emerging as soon as the first or second week after birth. But this is a normal occurrence and should not worry the parents or interfere with the kids tooth development later on in life. But in the case that it affects feeding or is loose and may fall off and choke the child then medical attention is urgently needed.

There is a misconception that teething cause’s diarrhea and high fever but in reality it doesn’t. Though it is normal for the kids temperatures to be slightly higher than normal which is believed to be brought about by infections such as herpes virus which is common among teething kids. At this time when children are teething most of them cry more because it is painful, some may want to chew anything that they find, this helps in easing pains but there are recommended toys known as teethers for that purpose so as to avoid the kid biting harmful thing which may be either sharp or dirty.

Dentists advice that you clean your child’s teeth as soon as they emerge, do not wait for the teething process to get to the final stage so as to start cleaning.