Teething: Function, Task & Diseases

Teething is a natural process that everyone must go through once each in infancy and childhood. While this process is uncomfortable, it should not be excruciating. Often, parents can help their children ease the pain of teething.

What is teething?

Teething is a natural process that everyone goes through once each in infancy and childhood. The term teething, also called dentition, refers to the eruption of teeth from the jaw in humans as well as other mammals. During this process, the mucous membrane over the tooth becomes thinner and thinner so that it can advance more easily. As soon as the mucous membrane has completely broken open, the tooth is fully released. Teething occurs twice in every person. The first teething is called lacteal dentition. This is the eruption of milk teeth, which begins at infancy of about six to ten months. The period of use of milk teeth ends around the age of six. The change from milk teeth to permanent teeth is called permanent dentition and takes place in humans between the ages of six and 14. However, the timing of teething cannot be determined across the board. When the first deciduous tooth actually erupts and when its period of use ends depends entirely on the physical growth and size relationship of the individual’s jaw and skull.

Function and task

The first milk teeth are already established during pregnancy. The tooth buds develop between the sixth and eighth week of pregnancy, which form the basis for the later milk teeth. It can take about two to four years for the milk teeth to fully develop. As a rule, the first teething begins in the sixth month of life. If children develop early, they get their first milk tooth as early as three months. Late-developing children, on the other hand, do not start teething for the first time until they are one year old. With the first tooth, the baby usually also gets solid food for the first time. Usually the lower middle incisors are the first to erupt. These are then followed by the upper incisors and the lateral teeth. Only towards the end of lacteal dentition do the molars and canines emerge. By the end of the third year of life, the child should already be in possession of 20 radiant milk teeth. During the decay of the milk teeth roots, the alveolar bone and the periodontium dissolve first. In this way, the tooth root becomes loose, whereupon it completely detaches from the jaw. First, the osteoclasts and dentoclasts are involved in the destruction of the hard substances. Then the fibroblasts and phagocytes are responsible for the dissolution of tissue structures of the root. Between the ages of six and 14, the second dentition begins. The development of the permanent dentition can take up to 12 years on average. Also in the permanent teeth, the central incisors erupt first. The eruption of wisdom teeth, however, is not part of the second dentition. This is because it does not occur until adulthood, and only if the wisdom teeth have been placed in the jaw from the start.

Diseases and complaints

Teething is a completely natural process that starts by itself and normally does not require treatment. Sometimes, however, teething is accompanied by severe pain. In many children, a round face indicates teething, as the gums swell. Often this is also strongly reddened. The first pressure often already occurs when the hidden teeth slowly come out. Babies in particular are very sensitive to the pressure that occurs during teething. That is why they often react tearfully to teething pain or suffer from loss of appetite. As soon as the baby puts its fingers, the whole fist or any toy into its mouth, it announces the eruption of the first milk teeth. In this way, it unconsciously tries to relieve the pressure. Children can also get diarrhea or fever during teething, although teething itself does not make them sick. However, the child needs almost all its energy for teething. This makes the immune system more vulnerable, and the mild inflammatory processes needed for milk tooth root dissolution can challenge the body. Parents can help the child by massaging the gums with clean fingers or special silicone finger loops from the pharmacy.Chewing on hard objects such as plastic spoons, carrot pieces or apple slices can also relieve the pain. Alternatively, special teething rings made of polypropylene, polyethylene or wood can also have a soothing effect. If the little ones suffer a lot from teething pain, homeopathic remedies can be administered. The second dentition can also cause discomfort in older children. This is because it often happens that the milk tooth that falls out wobbles but is still stuck. Then the child suffers a lot from the teething pain, because the tooth simply does not want to detach from the gum. In the worst case, this tooth has to be extracted by a dentist. As soon as the first milk teeth become loose, parents can help their children with thorough cleanings and regular and light wiggling. This makes it easier to remove the teeth. If inflammatory symptoms occur during teething, rinses with chamomile tea have an irritation-relieving effect. If a school-age child has severe teething pain, he or she can also take a small dose of acetaminophen in an emergency after consulting with a doctor.