My 5month old son has got his first tooth...it just broke through! Now his second is on it's way. I can see it peeking. He has a hard time with the toy teether we have for him. He just can't seem to hold onto it very well. Then one day he was reaching for my snack apple and I let him suck the juice after I took a bite, and I got an idea.
We started him on apple juice just a week before he turned 5 months and he loves it. So, I started slicing apples into wedges big enough that he won't choke and small enough for him to grasp and fit into his little mouth. He's having a great time with his sweet mouth toys! I could even hear him chomping down on the the tender innerds of the wedges. He is not taking chunks out of it, but I am seeing it as great training for his chewing muscles!
Also, we let him know that we are enthusiastic about his teeth. That makes him happy. He wines and puts his fingers on where it hurts, but we praise him (or his healthy body that God gave him) for growing that pearly white! That makes him smile.
I use a baby gum and tooth brush already for him. Boy, does he like that!
