A baby first molar is a big deal. These teeth are what help them switch to adult foods, finally. Before they have them, babies have a tough time with solid foods. Unfortunately, as the teeth erupt, molar pain is common.
Children have varying levels of pain tolerance.
For some of them, this won’t seem like that big of a deal at all. Meanwhile, other children will appear as if they are in agony. A lot of it has to do with family history. If you had a tough time with your molars, your kids are more likely to struggle as well. When your molars came in, how bad was it for you?
When Do Molars Come In?
Most parents like knowing when to expect certain milestones. Knowing when to expect your children to start growing molars is the same. That way, you won’t feel surprised if they start acting like they are in pain. Chances are, they do feel some soreness in that area. Most of the time, kids start to grow their molars after they’ve reached a year old.
Your Baby First Molar Should Appear Between 13 and 19 Months:
The very first molars are not a set of permanent teeth. However, they play an important role in shaping your child’s jaw. These teeth usually appear between a year and a year and a half old. Once your kids get that old, their molars are usually just around the corner.
Late Eruptions Run in Families:
Don’t worry too much if it seems as if those molars are taking a while to appear. How old were you when you got yours? Often, late tooth eruption runs in families. So, if it took you a while to get yours, don’t be surprised if it’s the same for your child. They’ll get them when they should.
If You Are Worried, See Your Pediatrician:
No matter what, if you are worried about something, then you should speak with a doctor. Most of the time, it won’t be anything at all. However, if it is something, they’ll be the ones who can help you. After you’ve seen them, it’ll be that much easier to rest easy.
Primary Molars Versus Adult Molars:
What’s the difference between primary molars and adult molars. Well, primary molars are not a set of permanent teeth. Most children won’t get their adult set until they are around 6 years old. That’s why people call them their 6 years old molars. Those are the ones that you’ll keep with you for the rest of your life.
They Should Have 8 of Them:
Kids molar teeth come in sets of 8. There should be 2 of them on either side of the top, and there should be 2 of them on either side of the bottom as well. These teeth help to shape your child’s jaw as they grow older. Without all of them, their jaw might not look like it should.
How to Help Children Who Are Growing Molars?
So, your kid has begun to grow their first set of molars. How should you take care of them so that everything goes well? Taking care of their new molars isn’t any different than taking care of their other teeth. Of course, they might be in a bit more pain than usual. That’ll disappear with time, though.
Keep It Clean:
Above all, keep those new teeth clean. Brush them at least twice a day. This part can be tough for some children. If they’ve been having a tough time with their new teeth, be extra gentle. Getting them clean is important. However, you wouldn’t want to irritate their gums any more than they are already.
Use a Soft-Bristle Toothbrush:
One of the easiest ways to avoid further irritating their gums is by using a softer toothbrush. These bristles won’t affect the gums quite the same. So, it ought to be a little bit easier to get through the daily routine. Once the pain subsides, you can switch back to something with a tougher set of bristles.
Change Their Diet:
For children with severe pain, diet changes can be helpful. Switch from solid foods back to something softer for a while. Chewing solid food might be particularly painful while these new teeth are coming in. Eventually, you can take them back to their original diets again.
You could start giving them smoothies instead of solid food. Smoothies are an easy way to get some nutrients. Plus, you can make them super nutrient-dense.
See Your Dentist:
Dentists can assist you with anything that you need during this time. If you are concerned about something, ask them about it. They’ll have all the answers you need. With their help, you and your child will both make it through this difficult time. Even after their molars have finished growing, you should keep in contact with their dentist. You never know when you might need their assistance with something. Maintaining a good relationship with them can be helpful.
Children’s Tylenol Might Be Helpful:
Generally speaking, avoid using medication unless absolutely necessary. However, with that said, giving your kid some Tylenol can take the edge off of their pain. That way, both of you can sleep a little easier. You can use this for their 6 years old molar as well. Any kids molar can be treated using Tylenol. Just make sure that you dose them properly.
Molar Teething Symptoms
What should you expect when those teeth show up. There are a few symptoms that are common with all children. Most of the time, these will disappear once the teeth are fully grown. Learning what to expect can help you handle these problems as they arise. Plus, it can prevent any unnecessary worrying. When you know what’s going on with your kid, it’s a lot easier to have peace of mind. The following symptoms are all things you should expect when the time arrives.
Red and Swollen Gums:
First, you’ll start to notice signs of gum irritation. Your kids may not even feel it. Still, if you look at their gums, you’ll see that they look a little swollen. They’ll also appear bright red.
Pain Around the Affected Area:
Around this time, kids usually start to feel some of the pain. Depending on the child, this will be more or less severe. Some kids tolerate the pain of their new molars rather well. Other kids can hardly stand them.
Difficulty Chewing:
While they are still growing, those new molars might make it difficult for your child to chew. So, you might need to switch them to a liquid diet for a bit. The flat surface of their new molars can feel abrasive to their exposed gums. Until all of their molars have come in, it might be tough to feed them anything solid. By the time they reach 2 years old, they should have all of their teeth. Feeding them won’t be quite so challenging at that point.
Trouble Sleeping Through the Night:
The pain of those baby molars can be quite intense. Some children have trouble staying asleep throughout the night. Molar pain might wake them up periodically. Lack of sleep can make things tough on both the child and their parents. Baby aspirin can help them stay asleep throughout the night. Certain formulations even contain sleep aids. That way, you won’t keep getting woken up.
Increased Crankiness:
Those baby molars seem to make kids cranky. Molar pain can sour their moods rather quickly. This is one of the worst molar teething symptoms. Fortunately, once those teeth finish growing in, your kid will go back to normal. Don’t worry if they seem like they don’t feel the best for a while. That’s a normal occurrence.
Are You Looking for the Best Kids Dentist in North Hollywood?
Victory Plaza Dental Group has been treating children in the area for years. That’s part of what makes us the best kids dentist in North Hollywood. Are you dealing with some 6 years old molar problems? If you are having a tough time with baby molars, we can help. Give us a call and we’ll talk through it with you. Our free consultations are a great way to catch up to speed.