Teething syndrome in children under one year of age is a complex of manifestations that occurs when the baby begins to develop baby teeth. For any family, this stage is quite difficult, since the child must be taken care of responsibly. The child needs special attention, even if the manifestations of the condition are weak. In some, however, the symptoms are very pronounced. The syndrome can significantly interfere with the child. The task of parents is to take possible measures to alleviate this period, to eliminate complications.
Official name
The teething syndrome recorded in the ICD-10 code is a natural condition that any healthy person must experience sooner or later. In modern medicine, this period is known under the code K00.7. It is he who is included in the child’s card when parents first bring the child to the doctor, needing help against the background of teething syndrome. The code according to ICD K00.7 hides under itself a condition that cannot be considered a pathology. It is natural, although the manifestations vary from case to case. Specific medical care is required only in case of severe symptoms or an atypical process.
The code K00.7 adopted by the ICD for teething syndrome is included in the general subgroup of disorders associated with teething and atypical development of this part of the human body. The category is encrypted as K00. The very first item in it is known by the code K00.0 - it hides an adentia. The condition of teething syndrome considered in the material in the ICD is fixed with the code K00.7.
Timing and Availability
For the first time, teething syndrome in children sometimes appears already at the age of four months. The period associated with the formation of primary teeth is characteristic of any person, and each parent must meet with the need to help their child. These are the natural mechanisms of growth of the human body. At the same time, you need to understand: both the timing and the specifics of the process are strictly individual and vary greatly from case to case. For many, this stage of growing up is accompanied by extremely unpleasant sensations, leading to anxiety and an expression of discomfort. The child may be capricious and cry, other manifestations are possible. The task of parents is to provide the child with maximum care and attention, and, if necessary, to seek professional help.
To find out how to alleviate the condition of teething syndrome (the code for which is according to the generally accepted diagnosis encryption system - K00.7), it is reasonable to contact a pediatrician who will redirect to a pediatric dentist or other specialist. A complication of the formation of the primary dentition by inflammatory foci or processes of a different kind is possible. There is a risk of combined symptoms: if the teeth are cut against the background of the disease, then, without special experience, parents will not be able to understand all the causes of the manifestations. Only a doctor can make an accurate diagnosis.
Features of growing up
For the first time, symptoms of teething syndrome can disturb a baby as early as four months of age. Without medical monitoring of the condition, a child who needs specialized help may not receive it, so it is reasonable to show the child to the doctor with an enviable frequency, even if everything seems to be normal. The duration of the formation of the primary dentition varies from case to case, in some it reaches three years. Development in each case proceeds individually, therefore there is no standard schedule in which all children without exception must fit.
Usually the first incisors appear below. If teething syndrome is suspected in children in the clinic, it is the lower jaw that is examined first. In the main percentage of children, these teeth are shown by the age of nine months. Incisors on the upper jaw rarely appear before seven months of age. After incisors from below, teeth on the side begin to form. Both above and below these incisors grow approximately simultaneously. Normally, the incisors should form by the year. Then begins the development of the front teeth. Premolars, molars first appear by the age of two. For some, this process stretches over a longer time period. Fangs should appear at the same time as molars, premolars. First, these teeth are formed on the upper jaw, then from the bottom.
Step by step
The conditions described above fit into the teething syndrome recorded in ICD-10 under code K00.7. Doctors take into account that the described standards are obtained by averaging the statistical information collected during the observation of children of different ages from different regions. The structure, formation order, nuances of growth in each case are determined by a set of factors, the specifics of the organism, immunological status, genetic prerequisites, the nuances of the diet and other features.
The standards are quite broad, and this is taken into account in the description of the teething syndrome encoded as K00.7 in ICD-10. If the child has deviations from the process described above, you should show it to the doctor, but you should not panic before the doctor makes a serious diagnosis. Even the difference in the order of formation of the dentition does not always indicate pathological processes. It is quite possible, this is just such a peculiar norm in a particular case.
Teeth are cut: what is it and how to notice it?
Teething syndrome is a term applied to a condition where the integrity of the soft tissues that form the gums is impaired. During this period, the child is especially gentle and sensitive to external aggressive factors, pathological microflora. Immunity weakens, child susceptible to disease, weak. The process is accompanied by discomfort, many children suffer severe pain, which leads to irritability. During the period of the appearance of the dentition, they are capricious, they cannot sleep normally. Some lose their appetite amid discomfort and anxiety.
When teething in a child, the gum mucosa is damaged and aseptic (ie, “microbial”) inflammation occurs, which causes fever, diarrhea, sleep disturbance and the baby’s appetite. Moreover, as a result of gum damage, they become more vulnerable to infection and the emergence of septic (ie, “microbial”) inflammation, which can complicate an already difficult period of teething. Conventional drugs for treating inflammation of the oral mucosa are not always suitable for use in young children. You should choose a drug intended for use in children. For example, Holisal ® has proven itself well. When applied topically, it has a triple effect, helping to relieve pain and inflammation, as well as acting on viruses, fungi and bacteria. The gel adhesive base helps to keep active substances on the mucous membrane, prolonging their action 1 . It is important to exercise caution when used in children under one year of age and consult with your doctor first.
The intensity of teething syndrome varies significantly from case to case. For some, this period proceeds almost imperceptibly, while other children need specialized help. Do not forget about the risk of complications. The likelihood of such a course is higher if the child can hardly tolerate the symptomatic complex.
Panic or not?
The very fact of the occurrence of the syndrome of tooth cutting is the norm. The task of parents is to monitor the condition of the child, to monitor how expressed the malaise. If the child is very sick, you need to show it to the doctor. Pulling for help if there are prerequisites for this is not worth it: there is a risk of incorrect formation of the dentition.
A teething syndrome is a complex of manifestations inherent in this process occurring in the body. Some increase body temperature. Symptoms may include the formation of foci of inflammation in the oral cavity. In children, the glands responsible for the production of saliva may become active, and stool may be impaired. The syndrome may include nasal discharge, loss of appetite, irritability. Against the background of teething, some kids quickly and very tired. Heat sometimes appears some time before tooth formation. This symptom is not mandatory, but in an impressive percentage of cases it becomes the first signal indicating the imminent appearance of a new element in the dentition.
Symptoms
As a rule, the temperature rises between 37-38 degrees. It can be easily knocked down. Treatment of teething syndrome is required if the indicators are even higher, persist for a long time and are difficult to get off.
Often, against the background of heat, the child is naughty, often wakes up, eats bad. Possible increased stool. The discharge is softer than usual.
The period when fangs are cut, incisors of the upper jaw, usually accompanied by abundant nasal secretions. The transparent substance is separated.
For many, the syndrome is accompanied by inflammatory processes in the gums. This is due to physiological nuances, since the organ is injured when a new tooth passes through it. With a visual examination, hyperemia of the area can be seen, in some the gum swells. The site itches, so the child is drawn to gnaw objects to facilitate sensations. Along with increased activity, saliva is generated, a natural substance with antiseptic qualities. This process is natural, it is a protective mechanism.
Is everything going right?
In most children, the most active process of tooth formation begins by the age of six months. At about the same stage, their own immunity is formed, replacing the one received earlier from the mother during breastfeeding. Protection functions are rather weak, which means that the vulnerability of the child is high. This is especially noticeable if the teeth are cut with difficulty, a strong fever worries. With a high degree of probability, the process is complicated by intestinal infection. Other diseases may appear. Among the vulnerable areas is the oral cavity, where local immunity is significantly reduced. This provokes stomatitis or can become the foundation for the development of other diseases.
The task of parents is to monitor the condition of the child, regularly show it to the doctor to determine how normal the process is. It is especially important to get an appointment with a doctor as soon as possible if you have a fever for a long time. Probably, the symptom indicates the presence of an internal focus of inflammation, infectious invasion. If fever disturbs at the same time as vomiting, stool disorder, the cause may be infection with rotavirus. It often manifests itself as a symptom of a respiratory disease. In a normal child who does not tolerate complications, if there is vomiting during the formation of the dentition, it is extremely rare. Occasionally, a similar reaction causes a fever, but in the majority of cases of vomiting, it indicates a malfunction in the digestive tract.
Attention to the nuances
Serious complications can indicate diarrhea. This condition with a high degree provokes dehydration of the body, which is especially fast developing in childhood. The norm is stool up to three times a day. Its increased frequency, excess fluid secretions indicate pathology and are an occasion to show the child to a specialist. As a rule, tests are prescribed to check the balance of liquids and salts, and a safe course of support is developed.
Discharges from the nose accompanying teething can vary significantly in their features. Fluid substance that does not have color, transparent in texture - the norm. With thick mucous discharge, which is characterized by increased viscosity and an unhealthy color, you should show the child to a doctor. There is a possibility of rotavirus, diseases of ENT organs.
Genetics and Health
The hereditary factor is one of the important nuances that determine the features of the formation of the dentition. It is safe to say that teeth will begin to form especially early, if parents also encountered this at the time. If the older generation had their teeth cut late, the child will probably experience a similar situation. This is determined by genetic information. If heredity is such, it will not be possible to change the timing of the formation of the dentition by artificial external methods.
In many ways, the features of teething are determined by the nuances of maternal health and the pathologies suffered by the woman during the gestation period. Toxoplasmosis, colds and infections can have a particularly strong effect. Belated molding of a child’s dentition is possible due to maternal heart disease or early transfer of the baby to artificial nutrition.
Kids: what and how much?
The health of a child determines how teeth are cut. The process can slow down or start late with a background of vitamin deficiency, impaired development of the body, malfunctions of the immune system. In addition to the rate of teething and the number of teeth, it determines how good the teeth will be, the state of health. Slow down the process can rickets, hypothyroidism and the absence of dental primordia. A situation of the formation of several (up to a dozen) teeth is possible, after which there is a long pause. In this condition, you need to show the child to the doctor to identify the causes.
According to statistics, if a child has older brothers and sisters, and the pause between births was relatively small, in later-born babies the teeth are cut more slowly, and the process starts later than usual. The first ten teeth usually appear quite quickly, after which the process slows down.
What to do?
Since the described process is completely natural, specialized treatment is not required. When complications occur, the doctor selects the therapeutic course, focusing on the nuances of the condition. The symptoms of teething, numerous and complex, are overcome with the help of parents who monitor the condition of the oral cavity
It is necessary to clean not only the gums, the inner surface of the cheeks, but also the tongue, on which numerous bacteria accumulate. It is because of their reproduction that a pronounced unpleasant odor is possible. With infection of the oral cavity, the risk of stomatitis, inflammation of the tongue, lymphadenitis increases.
Doctors recommend the use of fluoride-rich toothpastes. To feed the children, you can use special mixtures with the inclusion of safe quantities of fluoride. True, you need to be careful: an excess of this component can cause fluorosis.