Teething and Osteopathy
Teething
All babies go through the teething process. It usually starts around 6 months and finishes around 3 years of age. In total your baby will grow 20 teeth over this period of time. Some get through teething without any problems while others are in real discomfort and therefore become fussier than before. Why does this happen and what can osteopathy do about it?
Why is my baby in discomfort?
The discomfort associated with teething is mostly due to the pressure produced by the crown of the tooth as it breaks through the sensitive gum tissue. This is known as erupting. This in turn also creates pressure through the bones and structures that are connected with your baby’s mouth. These structures are generally the bones around the nose, the sinuses, the throat and the lungs.
For the teething process to work properly the bones around the jaw and mouth need to be able to move in the right way for the teeth to come through with the least amount of pressure. These structures therefore play an important role in your baby’s experience through teething.
If any of these structures are not working as optimally as they can this could play a role in the overall discomfort of your baby.
If your baby is building up pressure in their mouth and head every time a tooth is coming through, you can compare it to having a constant headache. If this goes on for a longer period of time it will start to bother your baby more and more.
Symptoms of teething
Every baby will experience some symptoms while teething, however as they vary between babies some have more trouble than others. Some of the most common ones are:
- Drooling/congestion
- Fever (38C/100.4F or above)
- Redness and/or swelling around the gums
- Trouble sleeping
- Fussiness
- Trying to chew as much as possible
In case of a fever be mindful of de-hydration by checking for a dry mouth, sunken eyes or fewer wet nappies than usual.
Some babies have their teeth come through fast whereas others take a long time before any of the teeth start showing. This is completely normal and nothing to worry about.
What can osteopathy do to help?
Osteopathy can help relieve any tension that has build up in your baby’s body. The osteopathic manual practitioner will look at the movement through your baby’s jaw and face. They will then move on to check your baby’s throat, lungs and upper chest for any congestion or strain patterns.
Osteopathy works with the body as a whole and is looking to create balance overall. If this balance is found it will help decrease some discomfort your baby is experiencing. Because of this your baby will most likely be happier and therefore become less fussy.