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Baby, might seem cranky, maybe crying or fussing more often, and seems to be drooling more often as well. What's happening to baby?

Most kids start the process of teething when they are 6 months of age. The 20 baby/primary teeth sitting below their gums start to emerge. Although teething is a natural process, it comes with sore gums, drooling, crankiness, and tears making it an ordeal for babies and parents alike.

You may also notice that baby is chomping away at fingers, crib sides, toys, blankets, and just about anything they get their hands on.

If your baby is having a hard time with teething, try these simple tips to help ease the pain and soothe sore gums.

Cold is comforting

Using a cold washcloth, or a gauze pad for massaging the baby's gums and applying gentle pressure might help alleviate their pain. A cold spoon or teething ring can be soothing on a baby's gums as well.

Give the Baby Chilled Fruits

If your baby has started having solid foods, you can give them chilled fruits to nibble on.
Make sure to give it in a mashed form to monitor the child at all times to avoid choking.

Pacifiers or Teething Toys

Chilling pacifiers or teething rings and toys combine the idea of cold treatment as well as something to chew on and is one of the most widely used ways to comfort a teething child. Chilled teethers or pacifiers help in comforting a child in pain, as the cold soothes those irritated gums by numbing the pain. Just chill teething toys or pacifiers for around 10-15 minutes. Make sure you don't leave the objects in the freezer for too long, as the object develops a layer of ice around itself, chewing on them may cut the baby's delicate gums.

Prepare a Milk Popsicle

The discomfort of teething can make some children refuse to eat. Keeping the baby hydrated and well-fed while comforting their irritated gums at the same time is essential. Milk or fruit popsicles can be a good source of that.

Keep the drool away

Teething is often associated with drooling, and the drool buildup around the child's face can lead to rashes. Make sure to keep cleaning that excess drool off their face as this is very irritating for the baby but can also lead to discoloration of their sensitive skin.

Have Some Extra Cuddles with your baby

If the baby seems to be in an irritable mood when teething, rocking them in a chair or carrying them around the house can work wonders for helping with the discomfort. This will help the child relax, while also creating a calm environment for both of you to fall asleep.

Over-the-Counter Medications

Going for over-the-counter pain medicines such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen is recommended as the last resort when nothing seems to help the child feel better. Consult your baby's doctor to find the correct painkiller that suits your child, along with the right dosage. It's better to avoid teething gels and medicines containing benzocaine or lidocaine as these can make swallowing difficult and numb a baby's mouth.
There is also Orjael cooling gel and baby Orajel tooth/gum cleanser.

Regular visits during the early years help healthy teeth and gums in the long run as proper oral hygiene prevents dental problems from occurring later in life.

Once your child turns 6 months or their first tooth starts erupting - they are ready for their first dental visit.

Babys first dental visit

Did you know that the first time to schedule a visit to the dentist is as soon as you start seeing teeth develop? That's right, visits to the dentist can be as early as that.
If you haven't scheduled a visit yet, contact us...

Mommy Tips and Daddy Tips

Whenever you are looking for Dental Mommy tips or daddy tips, you can consult with us, or check out our articles on those topics and more.

Looking for the best kids dentist near the Paterson, Passaic, and Union City areas?
We are here serving Paterson, Passaic, and Hudson NJ, and the surrounding communities, we offer comprehensive oral health services ranging from routine cleanings to emergency treatment. We are committed to creating a warm, welcoming environment to keep all members of the family comfortable in the office.
Paterson(973) 742-4200
Passaic  ( 973) 574-1000
Union City(201) 325-8444

Find reviews and updates on Facebook, learn more about our practice online, or give us a call (973) 742-4200

Is the appointment schedule convenient?

Is the office easy to get to and close by?

Does the office appear to be clean and orderly?

Was your medical and dental history recorded and placed in a permanent file?

Does the dentist explain techniques for good oral health?

Is information about cost presented to you before treatment is scheduled?

Is your dentist a member of the ADA (American Dental Association)?

Know the difference between a children's general dentist and a family dentist.
Family dentists provide general dentistry for all ages, not only children.

Take a look at google reviews. Genuine accounts from people who
leave reviews can be helpful when seeking a good children's general dentist.
Beware of irrational statements, however.

Schedule Consultations With Each children's general Dentist.
Scheduling consultations can help with getting beneficial information.

You need to find a dentist who has strong behavior management skills.
Our doctors hold themselves to a high standard, professionalism, care, and making sure that patients feel comfortable.

Do They Have Special Training?
Our Doctors are not only licensed practitioners, but they have continuing education credentials and continue to stay updated in children's general dentistry.

Do They Have a Fun, Clean, and Comfortable Environment?
At our practice, we believe in helping our patients be at ease and having a fun and engaging experience.

Do They Take A Preventative Approach?
Our team has a systematic approach to preventive dental care.

Location.
When it comes to children, choosing a dentist that is close is good practice.

How are the practices of customer service?
We are dedicated to providing not only the very best dental care but excellent experiences and customer service as well.

Make your pick And Schedule Your Child’s First Appointment!
If your child has not been to the dentist yet, it would be a great preventive measure to schedule and attend a dental visit.

Looking for the best kids dentist near the Paterson, Passaic, and Union City areas?
We are here serving Paterson, Passaic, and Hudson NJ, and the surrounding communities, we offer comprehensive oral health services ranging from routine cleanings to emergency treatment. We are committed to creating a warm, welcoming environment to keep all members of the family comfortable in the office.
Paterson(973) 742-4200
Passaic  ( 973) 574-1000
Union City(201) 325-8444

Find reviews and updates on Facebook, learn more about our practice online, or give us a call (973) 742-4200

When a permanent tooth starts erupting under a baby tooth, the root of the baby tooth is resorbed and the permanent tooth takes its place. 

Sometimes the permanent tooth starts erupting in the mouth while the baby tooth is still there - this is known as shark teeth because of its appearance. It usually occurs in the lower and upper front teeth. If the baby tooth does not get out itself then it has to be extracted and the permanent tooth will naturally come in its place.

What causes Shark teeth?

Most commonly, at the age of 5-7 years, the permanent teeth start to push the baby tooth so they shed off. But sometimes the baby teeth don't want to leave the baby’s mouth and the permanent one comes right behind it and causes two rows of teeth to exist, one of the adult teeth and one of the baby teeth.

When should baby teeth fall out?

In total, a child has 20 baby teeth ( 10 upper and 10 lower) which start erupting at the age of 6 months. All these teeth come off before the age of 12 years. The permanent adult teeth are 32 in total and start erupting from the age of 6yrs.

What should you do if your baby has 2 rows of teeth?

For this case, there are some solutions for you. If the baby tooth is loose, tell your child to wiggle it out so it can come out on itself naturally. If the tooth is not loose you can take an appointment with a Children's general dentist. The dentist will perform a tooth extraction to remove the baby's tooth. If one of the front teeth grows the teeth behind it then it's most likely possible that the other one will do the same because pairs of teeth often act the same way. So instead of two visits, you can wait for the other adult tooth to grow so you can get your child’s teeth extracted in the same visit.

If your child is experiencing erupted teeth behind their front teeth,
Call the Paterson Office (973) 742-4200 to schedule an appointment or
Passaic  ( 973) 574-1000
Union City(201) 325-8444

Serving Paterson, Passaic, and Hudson NJ, and the surrounding communities, we offer comprehensive oral health services ranging from routine cleanings to emergency treatment. We are committed to creating a warm, welcoming environment to keep all members of the family comfortable in the office.

Find reviews and updates on Facebook, learn more about our practice online, or give us a call (973) 742-4200

What is Plaque?
Plaque is an extremely sticky buildup of bacteria in your mouth.
The bacteria mix with food byproducts and proteins to form a sticky film called dental plaque.

It acts as a coat on your teeth and can get under the gumline. This is between the tooth and gums. Have you ever seen buildup in the corners of your teeth where the gums are? That's plaque building into tartar. The plaque can develop into a hard substance we call calculus and tartar.

Plaque and tartar can damage your tooth enamel.
The gums can bleed from this. If this is happening, please schedule an appointment as soon as possible. It is important to not try and remove tartar on your own. The best action to take is to schedule an appointment so a trained hygienist can remove tartar professionally.

How do you remove plaque on your own?
Flossing can help to prevent tartar.
Brushing your teeth twice a day especially in the morning and at night before you go to sleep can be very helpful to prevent plaque and tartar buildup.
Brush regularly, twice a day for 2 minutes a time.
Brushing for 30-seconds twice a day won’t remove plaque or prevent tartar.

Removing plaque and Tartar:
Do not attempt to use any other appliances to remove plaque or tartar. You can damage your child's gums or teeth.

Dental Hygienists and Dentists make it look easy when removing tartar from your teeth. This leads to the belief that one can do the removal themselves and save themselves from an appointment.

It is very important that you don't attempt to remove tartar on your own. It can be very dangerous to do this because it can cause damage to your gums and create recession in the gums. This is where gums move away from the teeth and expose roots. These roots are sensitive, can be damaged,
and can lead to infections.

As stated above, If your child is bleeding, has gum damage,
or is in pain, please schedule an appointment as soon as possible.
Call (973) 742-4200 to schedule an appointment. ( Orthodontics ext: 21 )

Serving Paterson, NJ, and the surrounding communities, we offer comprehensive oral health services ranging from routine cleanings to emergency treatment. We are committed to creating a warm, welcoming environment to keep all members of the family comfortable in the office.

Find reviews and updates on Facebook, learn more about our practice online, or give us a call (973) 742-4200