Question
A four-month-old baby often suckles their fingers or puts objects from their hands into their mouth. Family members think the child may be about to teethe and suggest using teething biscuits, but are concerned about the possibility of the child swallowing the biscuits and choking. I would like to ask: Is it better to use teething biscuits, or is it more appropriate to use a dental gel?
Answer
Hello, we believe that your baby is still quite young. Typically, babies start to grow milk teeth around six months of age, and this process continues until the child is about two and a half years old when they can completely undergo a tooth replacement. According to your description, your child has not yet entered the stage of milk tooth eruption. The latest scientific research shows that a baby’s habit of suckling their fingers may reflect another aspect of the child’s upper and lower jaw development, so it’s not necessarily a bad thing and should be guided appropriately. You can give your child more rough, hard, and durable foods to chew on in everyday life.