Your babies may be teething, getting ready for their first teeth to push through their gums. Goodbye gummy grins! Hello little pearls of teeth. However, that schedule can vary widely, so don’t feel concerned if your twins or multiples don’t meet that milestone, especially if they were born prematurely. Even if your babies are chronologically seven months old, their adjusted age is based on their original due date. Talk to your pediatrician or medical caregiver if you have any questions or concerns about their teething timeline. Don’t be surprised if your multiples teeth at different times, receiving their teeth several days, weeks or even months apart. They are individuals after all, and won’t necessarily adhere to the same schedule. However, the teething process often follows similar patterns in families. If the parents were early – or late – teethers, their kids may follow suit. Generally, the first teeth to appear are in the front middle of the bottom jaw, called the incisors, followed by the top incisors, canines (cuspids), and molars over the the next year or two. Most children have a full mouth of baby teeth by the age of two. Sometimes, mirror image twins will receive their teeth on opposite sides of their mouths at about the same time. For example, one will get a tooth on the right and the other on the left.
Signs of Teething
So what can you expect when your twins are teething? While there are some common signs, they vary greatly from baby to baby. Some babies exhibit no signs and experience relatively little discomfort. Others seem plagued by problems that present themselves as every single tooth makes an appearance.
A Double Dose of Drool
Dripping, drenching, drowning drool! It’s a common sight in babies starting at about three months of age, and the deluge can continue throughout the teething process as excess salivation builds up in babies’ mouths. Bibs are the best way to protect your twins’ clothing. Look for soft, absorbent bibs as opposed to the vinyl or plastic ones used to protect clothing during feeding. They may recommend protecting the area with Vaseline or other ointments. Some babies also experience loose stools or diarrhea while teething While experts may negate a connection between teething and diarrhea, plenty of parents recognize it as more than a coincidence! Because loose stools can be caused by other factors, it is always important to check with your doctor about such symptoms.
Low-grade Fever
Some babies exhibit an inexplicable low-grade fever (99-100 degrees) in conjunction with a tooth eruption. Many experts maintain that teething does not cause fevers, but yet again, plenty of parents observe this symptom. Better safe than sorry; always check with your pediatrician when your babies have a fever.
Biting and Chewing
Just as the teething process starts, babies master the motor skills necessary to put things in their mouths. You may notice that your twins are chewing and gnawing on everything in sight, including each other! They are simply seeking relief from pressure building in their gums as the teeth come closer to the surface. It’s definitely a time to ensure that your home is twin-proofed, removing and securing all potential hazards.
Irritability
Poor babies. The discomfort of teething can result in babies that are cranky, fretful, and fussy. It’s frustrating for parents, who don’t always understand the source of their babies’ distress and hate to see them out of sorts. Many parents of twins feel like they can never catch a break. Just as one twin’s discomfort subsides, the other twin starts up. Don’t worry. Remember: this “two” shall pass and your happy babies will return.
Disruption of Routine
Just as you settle into a somewhat manageable schedule of eating and sleeping, you find your babies waking at odd hours and refusing to eat at mealtimes. These changes may well be attributable to teething, as their discomfort that disrupts their sleep or prevents them from eating.
Tips for Dealing With Teething Twins
Your pediatrician can give you specific advice on how to help your babies cope with the discomfort of teething. Recommendations may include administration of ingestible pain relievers such as infant ibuprofen or acetaminophen or a topical product for gums. You can also offer your babies comfort by giving them safe items to chew or gnaw on. Frozen bagels or zwieback toast are other soothing options for babies to gnaw. Be sure that it is large enough that it can not be swallowed, and that it won’t break up into pieces that present a choking hazard. Even before teeth appear, take care of your twins’ gums by wiping them daily with a clean, damp washcloth, or infant toothbrush. As soon as their first tooth erupts, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends using a tiny bit of fluoride toothpaste to brush their teeth twice a day. Until age 3, use a very small amount of toothpaste—about the size of a grain of rice—and teach your child to spit without rinsing. Don’t let your twins fall asleep with bottles filled with milk or juice; as the liquids pool in their mouths, it can cause those precious new teeth to decay. Schedule a dentist visit around the time your twins turn one. Finally, take pictures as their teeth arrive, and note the dates! Amidst the chaos of parenting twins, it is easy to forget or confuse these special milestones.
