Teething is a natural process for children that begins around two months after the baby is conceived. At the time of birth babies already have 20 teeth formed deep within their jawbones and they begin to appear when a child is around 6 months of age, though the appearance of milk teeth can vary from child to child. Baby teeth are important because they hold a place for permanent teeth thus guiding them into the right position. Baby teeth also play a significant role in the development of your child's speech and ability to chew food.

During every stage of teething, it is essential to give your child the needed support and comfort since he/she will tend to experience a lot of pain and discomfort. Teething takes place when the teeth are finally rising from the jaw which makes a baby feel at the discomfort that is often overlooked by parents. Due to the lack of physical signs, parents do not understand the discomfort that the baby goes through during teething.

What Foods Should Be Avoided During Teething?

Teething can create an open wound and hence a few foods are to be avoided as it causes a burning and stinging sensation. The foods that you should avoid while teething are -

1. Citrus foods: The acidic nature of the citrus foods causes a stinging sensation in the area where a tooth is ready to come out. So avoid giving citrus foods
2. Tomatoes, tomatoes sauce: The tangy taste of tomatoes may cause either a burning sensation or a stinging sensation. Hence avoid it at any cost
3. Spicy foods: Open wounds, a small baby who can't express his or her pain – spicy foods are a strict no-no, as it will only aggravate the inflammation
4. Salty foods: Salt adds on to the stinging sensation and may cause further discomfort to your child
5. Frozen foods: While slightly chilled foods are good for your baby, it is good to avoid frozen foods or even teethers can enhance the stinging sensation, making your baby more uncomfortable

What Are The Signs Of Teething?

For a tooth to erupt, it starts pushing and tearing its way through muscles and flesh, which is the reason behind all the pain and inflammation. Since a child's speech isn't fully developed around this time, he/she may use other behaviors to exhibit the pain being felt. Your child might feel cranky, irritable, running nose, drooling, diarrhea, fever, lowered appetite, refusing to eat food, red and swollen cheeks, and gums, biting behavior and so on. These are a few signs that your child will display, which also means that he/she needs help in easing the pain.

How Can Parents Ensure Healthy Diet for Babies?

During the first tooth eruption, it is suggested to give a diet that makes the teething process pleasant for babies.

1. You need not be adventurous with the kind of food your child eats and must offer him/her whatever he/she likes. Make sure you offer your child healthy options of food which he/she will feel comfortable in eating
2. As it hurts to eat anything at this period, make sure you give your child softer versions of food such as purees, smoothies, and homemade juices
3. Offer your baby healthy foods made from fruits and vegetables that can be made into purees or soups. Your child might not feel like having much which is normal which is why you can opt for a puree form
4. Your child will avoid having much food at this point and it shouldn't be alarming to you. He/she might even lose some weight but will eventually put it back on once he/she recovers from the teething stage
5. Since your child will be aching all the time and will not be having more solid foods, he/she will turn up to milk. You will notice your child drinking more milk than ever which is fine as he/she will draw all the necessary nutrients and calories while milk will also help him/her to stay hydrated

You need not stress over more as this is just a phase of teething in your child's developing stage which will soon pass. Once he/she gets back to normal, his/her appetite will improve and will put on weight as well. Offer your child comfort and love to help him/her get through this stage with ease.