What to Expect When Your Child Is Getting Two Year Molars?

written by Christy

Today my youngest got to spend the day with me, he started running a low grade fever last night and acted like he didn’t feel very good. I decided that is was best to keep him home from daycare so that he could get some extra rest while I monitored his fever. It was nice being able to spend some one on one time with my baby. We enjoyed the extra snuggles and cuddles, we watched a few of his favorite shows on TV, and spent some time coloring.

I don’t like seeing my baby sick, especially, when I don’t know what is wrong with him. He has been drooling some and has a low grade fever. It makes me think that he might be trying to get his two year old molars in. In fact, when I felt his gums I thought that I could feel a tooth coming in just beneath the gum surface. Teething is never fun and often times makes for a very cranky toddler. As a mom, I wish I could just wave a magic wand and make his teething pain go away.

Disclosure: I am not a doctor, nurse, or health care provider. This post is for informational purposes only and never should replace getting your child medical treatment.

My son loves the teething ring. I usually put it into the refrigerator so that when I gave it to him to chew on, that it is cold enough to help reduce his pain and any inflammation on his gums. If you put them in the freezer and hand them to your child it is possible that they might get frostbite on their hands and if they chew on the hard teething ring it can actually end up hurting their gums even more.

Two Year Molar (Second Year Molar) Teething Symptoms

Most toddlers begin cutting their two year molars (also called second molars) just shy of their second birthday. Of course there it is possible that it can happen sooner or well into into their third year depending on how quickly your child’s two year molars or teeth to come in. The molars are bigger teeth so they tend to be more painful when they are breaking through the gums. What are some symptoms that could indicate that your toddler is beginning to get their two year old molars? Here is a list of symptoms that your child might have if they are teething:

Mild or low grade fever
Chewing on their hands, toys, or anything that they can get into their mouth
Drooling
Night waking, especially, if your toddler is normally a good sleeper
Excessively cranky
Swollen or tender gums
Ear pulling
Rubbing on their cheek

Teething symptoms usually subside in a few days as the teeth are breaking through the gums. However, if the symptoms last longer than a few days unless you can feel the tooth under the gums, you probably should have your child seen by a health care provider or their doctor to rule out other illnesses that have symptoms that are similar to teething.

What Can I Do To Make My Toddler More Comfortable While They Are Getting Their 2nd Year Molars?

If your toddler will allow you to reach into their mouth to feel their gums, you can attempt to see if you can feel the teeth coming in just beneath the gums. I suggest that you do this with extreme caution, your toddler may bite you while attempting to feel his or her gums. Here are a few things that you can do to attempt to make them more comfortable using these home remedies, tips and techniques:

Use pain reliever for pain and fever symptoms as directed by your child’s doctor (Note: get proper dosage from your child’s doctor).
Break out your child’s old teething toys.
Do offer them cold teething toys, if possible, to chew on to help relieve their pain.
If your toddler is constantly drooling, keep a towel or soft cloth handy to pat their chin dry to avoid excessive irritation on their chin.
Do call your child’s doctor or dentist if your child’s gums are excessively swollen or appear to be infected.
During this time, it is best to offer your child extra cuddles to help soothe their teething pain.
Do call your child’s doctor if they continue to pull on their ears or run a fever for more than a few days. Teething pain can radiate to your child’s ears making you think that your child might have an ear infection too.
Offer your child soft foods if they don’t seem to have their normal appetite.
Try offering your child a cold wash cloth to chew on.

Teething Gels: To give or not?

As a general rule, avoid giving teething gels to the toddler. It usually contains a chemical substance called benzocaine. In certain cases, benzocaine can result in a condition called Methemoglobinemia. It is essentially a state where the oxygen levels in blood drop dangerously low and can in turn lead to shortness of breath, blue colored lips, rapid heart rate. Should any of these symptoms occur, rush to your nearest hospital.

Benzocaine basically numbs the area thereby providing relief to the gums. A lot of people use it without any symptoms but personally I believe that we should skip teething gel and should try any of the following instead.

Teething can be a nightmare for both you and your toddler. Your toddler will likely be fussier than usual and may not be their usual self. Don’t worry your toddler should be back to their normal self in a few days. You can find some fun activities to help distract your child during the day and keep your toddler as comfortable as possible. If your toddler wakes up in the middle of the night, you should always try self soothing techniques before going in to check on your toddler. After all you wouldn’t want to start a new habit of nighttime cuddles or attention due to teething pain.

What Kind Of Food To Give During Teething

Teething can make the kids cranky and they usually become very fussy eaters. It’s very difficult, seeing how they are in pain and on top of that not eating. They get hungry and that makes them cranky again so it is kind of a vicious cycle.
Certain types of food are more suitable during Teething:

Yoghurt

Chilled yoghurt can soothe the gums and it has a bag of nutrition so yoghurt is my most preferred and recommended food for teething phase.

Chilled Carrot/Celery Sticks

These are a very good option but again they come with a caution note. The hard bits can be bitten and may pose a choking hazard so you have to be a little cautious while giving these.

Teething Biscuits (Sugar free variety)

Teething Biscuits are a little harder than the regular biscuits giving the toddler a chance to bite on it thereby providing some relief to his much needed urge to bite on something hard. Try to pick the no sugar variety, you won’t want your toddler to binge on any sugary treats and risk having cavities.

Soft puréed fruits and Vegetables

While hard food lets the kids Some kids prefer soft food, purées of fruits and veggies is a great option to fill their little tummies with the goodness of nutritious food. Try keeping the purées in the fridge before feeding so that it is cold enough to soothe the gums.

Diarrhea/Loose Stools And Teething-Are The Two Related?

With both my kids I faced the problem of loose stools while they were teething. As any mom I was worried initially, more so with my firstborn. She was cranky and then loose stools on top of that, it is like a whole battalion of trouble was after my life.

So, the big question is does teething have to do anything with the loose stools or the dreaded diarrhea? The experts are divided on the issue. William Sears, pediatrician and author of The Baby Book is of the opinion that child’s excessive saliva wounds up going in its gut and may result in mild diarrhea and loose stools and may cause mild diaper rash.

While many other pediatricians tend to disagree with the school of thought that teething results in fever, diarrhea, loose stools etc.

From my personal experience I have gathered that the loose stools are there and with my kids the symptoms were all very mild (except the being cranky part, that was absolutely verged on being catastrophic!) but if you feel that your child is stressed a lot it is always better to seek advice of your medical practitioner. My kids never had diarrhea at the time of teething and I don’t suppose diarrhea should be ignored, as it can lead to other potential problems. In case of Diarrhea stop surfing the internet for solution and head to the doctor.

What To Look For When Buying A Teething Toy

It would seem that this should not be a difficult task to buy a teether for your infant but believe me the research that parents put into while picking a teething toy would put NASA to shame! There is absolutely no dearth of options out there but there are a few things that must be kept in mind while selecting a teething toy for your child.

BPA free: BPA (bisphenol-A) is an industrial chemical used to make plastic, the ingestion of BPA can cause brain and behavioral problems. It is particularly harmful for pregnant women and children.
No PVC: PVC or Polyvinyl chloride is extremely toxic. It is a known human carcinogen and poses whole lot of health issues.
Easy To Grab and Hold: No point in considering a teething toy if it’s not easy to grab or hold on to.
Visually Appealing: Bright beautiful colors that catch the eyes of toddlers are important otherwise they would be more inclined to pick your colorful footwear instead!
Ease of Refrigeration: When your child is teething there is nothing like a cold soothing teething toy to chew on to as it gives them a lot of relief.

We love this Sensory teether by Manhattan Toy.

It is BPA free and meets the safety standards.
It’s bright colors, great hold and beautiful design grabs your child’s attention and it doubles up as a rattle!
The intricate design improves the hand eye coordination of the child and engages the baby’s motor skills.
It is the winner of Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal Award 2013.