When to Expect Different Phases of Tooth Eruption
If your child is an infant and teething right now, the process may seem never-ending. However, after the first phase of baby tooth eruption, teething continues, as baby teeth become permanent teeth and wisdom teeth arrive. Thankfully, permanent and wisdom teeth seem to cause less pain, and if mild discomfort is experienced, over the counter pain relievers can help. Knowing when to expect the arrival of teeth can help you be proactive in managing your child’s needs.
Phases of Tooth Eruption
Teething
Teething can cause sore gums and difficulty getting a good night’s sleep. Babies begin teething around 6 months and teeth usually arrive in pairs. The first teeth that erupt tend to be the two top or bottom teeth. Classic signs that your child may be teething are:
- Drooling
- Chewing on objects – this is a natural baby tendency, as children explore things with their mouths.
- Irritability or crankiness
- Sore or tender gums
- Low-grade rectal fever of 99 F (37.2 C)
Even before your child’s teeth erupt, we recommend applying a a clean, damp wash cloth over gums twice per day. This helps get rid of any food or milk/formula that could gather, cause pesty bacteria to spread, and lead to future decay.
Permanent Teeth
Permanent teeth arrive between ages 6 and 7, however heredity and other factors may influence the approximate ages at which children’s primary teeth fall out and their permanent teeth emerge.
In some children, the first permanent molars are the first to emerge; in others, the incisors are the first to emerge. By the age of 13, most of the 28 permanent teeth will be in place.
Please call us at Medplex if your child is experiencing severe pain when permanent teeth erupt, as it could be a sign of another condition.
Wisdom Teeth
One major dental milestone that usually takes place between the ages of 17 and 21 is the appearance of your third molars or wisdom teeth. Historically, these teeth have been called wisdom teeth because they come through at a more mature age.
When they come through correctly, healthy wisdom teeth can help you chew. It’s normal to feel a little discomfort when your wisdom teeth appear, but if you have pain, see Dr. Chambliss immediately.
Room to Grow?
Wisdom teeth can lead to problems if there isn’t enough space for them to surface or they come through in the wrong position. If Dr. Chambliss says your wisdom teeth are impacted, he means they are trapped in your jaw or under your gums.
As your wisdom teeth make their way through your gums, we will be monitoring your child’s mouth for signs of the following:
- Wisdom teeth that aren’t in the right position can allow food to become trapped.
- Wisdom teeth that haven’t come in properly.
- Wisdom teeth that have partially come through can give bacteria a place to enter the gums and create a place for infection to occur.
- Wisdom teeth that don’t have room to come through are thought by some to crowd or damage neighboring teeth.
- A wisdom tooth that is impacted can form a cyst on or near the impacted tooth.
Please contact Pediatric Dental Associates at (205) 928-8388 with any questions.
For more information, please visit the American Dental Association’s teething chart at: ADA Teething Chart
Adapted from Mayo Clinic: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/infant-and-toddler-health/in-depth/teething/art-20046378
and
The American Dental Association: https://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/az-topics/w/wisdom-teeth
Medplex Pediatric Dentistry serves as a top rated pediatric dentist for Alabaster, Birmingham, Hoover, Helena, and Pelham, AL.