How do i know when my child is teething

Baby teething symptoms - NHS

When it comes to teething, all babies are different. But your baby will probably get their first tooth some time during their first year.

Find out how to spot when your baby is teething and what order your baby's teeth are likely to appear in.

When do babies start teething?

Some babies are born with their first teeth. Others start teething before they are 4 months old, and some after 12 months. But most babies start teething at around 6 months.

Teething symptoms

Baby teeth sometimes emerge with no pain or discomfort at all.

At other times, you may notice:

their gum is sore and red where the tooth is coming through
they have a mild temperature of less than 38C
they have 1 flushed cheek
they have a rash on their face
they're rubbing their ear
they're dribbling more than usual
they're gnawing and chewing on things a lot
they're more fretful than usual
they're not sleeping very well

Read tips on how to help your teething baby.

Some people think that teething causes other symptoms, such as diarrhoea, but there's no evidence to support this.

You know your baby best. Get medical advice if they have any symptoms that are causing you concern. You can call NHS 111 or contact a GP.

Read more about spotting the signs of serious illness in babies and toddlers.

What order do baby teeth appear in?

Here's a rough guide to how babies' teeth usually emerge:

bottom incisors (bottom front teeth) – these are usually the first to come through, usually at around 5 to 7 months
top incisors (top front teeth) – these tend to come through at about 6 to 8 months
top lateral incisors (either side of the top front teeth) – these come through at around 9 to 11 months
bottom lateral incisors (either side of the bottom front teeth) – these come through at around 10 to 12 months
first molars (back teeth) – these come through at around 12 to 16 months
canines (between the lateral incisors and the first molars) – these come through at around 16 to 20 months
second molars – these come through at around 20 to 30 months

Most children will have all of their milk teeth by the time they are between 2 and 3 years old.

Community content from HealthUnlocked

Page last reviewed: 9 August 2022
Next review due: 9 August 2025

Teething

Is this your child's symptom?

The normal process of new teeth working their way through the gums
Questions about teething
Baby teeth come in between 6 and 24 months of age
Caution: At least one tooth should be seen before using this care guide

Proven Symptoms of Teething

Teething has been researched in-depth. Kids who are teething are little different from kids who are not teething. Here are the main symptoms that have been proven:

Drooling. Increased spit and drooling.
Rash. Face rash from drooling. The drool contains little bits of food that are irritating to the skin.
Chewing. Increased need to chew on things.
Gum Pain. Gum pain is mild and not always present. May be due to mouth germs getting into the new break in the gum. Most often, your baby just acts a little more fussy. There's not enough discomfort to cause crying. It also doesn't hurt enough to cause sleep problems.

False Symptoms of Teething

Teething does not cause fever, diarrhea, diaper rash or runny nose.
It does not cause a lot of crying.
It does not cause your baby to be more prone to getting sick.
Caution about Fevers. Blaming teething for fevers can lead to a delay in seeking care for infections. Examples are ear and urinary tract infections. Another example is meningitis.
There are 2 reasons why infections start between 6 and 12 months of age. One is the loss of antibodies transferred to baby from the mother at birth. The other is the developmental milestone of chewing on everything.
Caution about Crying. Blaming teething for crying can lead to a delay of care for other illnesses. Examples are ear infections or other causes of pain.

When to Call for Teething

Call Doctor or Seek Care Now

Your child looks or acts very sick

Contact Doctor During Office Hours

You think your child needs to be seen
You have other questions or concerns

Self Care at Home

Normal teething

Seattle Children's Urgent Care Locations

If your child’s illness or injury is life-threatening, call 911.

Bellevue
Everett
Federal Way
Seattle
Virtual Urgent Care

Care Advice for Teething

What You Should Know About Teething:
- Teething is a natural process.
- It's harmless and it may cause a little gum pain.
- The main symptoms of teething are drooling and rubbing the gums.
- It does not cause fever or crying. If these are present, look for another cause.
- Here is some care advice that should help.
Gum Massage:
- Find the irritated or swollen gum.
- Rub it with your clean finger for 2 minutes.
- Do this as often as needed.
- Putting pressure on the sore gum can decrease pain.
- Age over 12 months. You can use a piece of ice wrapped in a wet cloth to rub the gum.
Teething Rings (Teethers):
- Babies rub their own sore gums by chewing on smooth, hard objects.
- Offer a teething ring, pacifier or wet washcloth that has been chilled. Chill these items in the fridge. Do not use items frozen in the freezer.
- Age over 12 months. A piece of chilled banana may help.
- Do not use hard foods that could cause choking. An example is a raw carrot.
- Do not use ice or popsicles that could cause frostbite of the gums.
- Avoid "teething necklaces." They are not approved by the FDA and are not helpful. They also have harmful risks including choking and death.
Cup Feeding:
- If your baby refuses nipple feedings, try a cup.
- A spoon or syringe can also be used for a short time as needed.
Pain Medicine:
- Pain medicines usually are not needed for the mild discomfort of teething.
- Fussiness often gets better with gum massage. If not, you can give an acetaminophen product (such as Tylenol). If age over 6 months, another choice is an ibuprofen product (such as Advil). Just do this for one or two days. (Reason: Frequent use can cause liver or kidney damage).
Teething Gels: Do Not Use
- You can get special teething gels without a prescription.
- Most have benzocaine in them. They are not approved by the FDA at any age.
- Reason: Benzocaine can cause choking, bluish skin and allergic reactions. It can be very harmful if used during the first 2 years of life.
- Also, teething gels only give brief pain relief.
- Gum massage works much better.
What to Expect:
- Most often, teething does not cause any symptoms.
- If your child is having some discomfort, it should pass in 2 or 3 days.
Call Your Doctor If:
- Crying occurs
- Fever occurs
- You think your child needs to be seen
- Your child becomes worse

And remember, contact your doctor if your child develops any of the 'Call Your Doctor' symptoms.

Disclaimer: this health information is for educational purposes only. You, the reader, assume full responsibility for how you choose to use it.

Last Reviewed: 03/09/2023

Last Revised: 12/30/2022

How to understand that a child is teething

Teething symptoms can be very unpleasant. Often young parents do not understand what is happening with the child. Many of the symptoms are very common, and there are safe ways to relieve your baby's condition.

Salivation

Profuse salivation during teething is absolutely normal. Wipe your baby's face regularly with a tissue to avoid skin irritation and rashes. Wear clothes that are easy to wash, as your baby's saliva will regularly get on them.

Irritability

During the period when a sharp tooth breaks through the child's gums, one should not expect a good mood from him. Do not be surprised that the baby is naughty, cries more than usual, gets angry for nothing or for unknown reasons. Experts believe that irritability at this time is completely natural.

Eagerness to chew on hard objects

To reduce gum pain, the child may start chewing on toys and other hard objects. Keep everything that has sharp edges or small parts away from the child. To prevent your baby from putting unhygienic things in his mouth, give him special tooth rings, chilled vegetables, a damp cloth, or special cookies intended for children who are teething. At this time, the child may put his own fingers in his mouth more often, so pay extra attention to their cleanliness.

Decreased appetite and taste changes

Don't worry if your baby is eating less than usual. Breastfeeding or bottle feeding during teething can cause your baby too much discomfort and even pain. However, the baby should not go without food all day, and if he misses several feedings in a row, you should consult a pediatrician. In addition, the baby may refuse his favorite food, which at this time causes pain to the gums. If he has already switched to solid food, try feeding him, for example, yogurt that does not need to be chewed.

Anxiety and changing sleep patterns

Your baby may become restless. It is also possible that he will sleep at unusual times or not as well as before, begin to fall asleep worse and wake up more often. You can talk to your doctor about pain medications that are safe for children to help your child sleep better.

Fever

Experts say that although teething may be accompanied by a slight rise in temperature, fever is not a typical symptom. If your child has a high temperature, you should contact your pediatrician, as it may be a sign of some kind of disease.

Not a symptom of teething and diarrhoea. During this period, children have loose stools, but diarrhea indicates a disease, possibly of a viral nature. During teething, the child's body is under severe stress and becomes more vulnerable to viruses.

A child's oral health needs to be cared for from birth. Wipe your baby's gums with a damp gauze or tissue paper, and after the first tooth erupts, start using a soft-bristled toothbrush and a special toothpaste designed for babies.

Visit the Colgate website for more information about teething.

Timing of teething

The birth of a baby is happiness for any family. The first smile, the first step always brings happiness to parents. The moment of teething in a child's first teeth may not be the most pleasant for the crumbs. The child is naughty, the temperature may rise, the child becomes restless, cries often and does not sleep well. To exclude diseases that are much more difficult to diagnose in babies than in adult children, you should consult a doctor. Very often, such conditions occur at the time of eruption of the first teeth.

Due to the fact that many parents do not know at what age their children's teeth are cut, panic sets in and children are even given, in fact, unnecessary medicines for various diseases. According to statistics, this time falls on the 6th month of a baby's life. The order of teething is the same for everyone, but the timing is approximate. It happens that these boundaries are expanding, both in one direction and in the other. Sometimes a baby can be born with teeth, and sometimes they begin to erupt after a year. It all depends on genetic characteristics and the absence or presence of various diseases associated with bone tissue.

Which teeth are cut first? Usually, incisors appear first - sharp front teeth from below, then, after about a month, upper incisors appear. Next - the lower lateral incisors, then the upper ones. After all the incisors, fangs and chewing teeth appear. This period is from one to two years. It is difficult to say the timing of the eruption of milk teeth - it is very individual. By the age of three, the baby should have all the milk teeth.

Timing of teething - what mothers need to know

In general, the timing of teething is the same for all babies. The first front teeth appear at 6-8 months of a baby's life. How to understand that a child is teething, and the temperature has risen not from a cold? Look at the mouth. The gums turn red, and in places of eruption it becomes white. Saliva flows profusely, the child pulls toys and hands into his mouth, because the gum itches. These are the main symptoms that will tell every mother about the first teeth.

Another symptom may be indigestion. When the gums swell, it can be difficult for the baby to suck on the breast or bottle. He may throw food, not gorge or pass. As a result, bloating and other problems are possible, which go away as soon as the teeth erupt.

What to do when teething - tips for young mothers

First of all, if the child has a fever, the baby is naughty, and the parents cannot determine the cause, you should consult a doctor. If everything shows that these are teeth, do not panic.

Children's doctors recommend choosing a gum chew toy for your child. They are sold in children's stores and pharmacies. Most often, they are made of transparent material. When buying a chew toy, be sure to ask for a quality certificate and do not buy in spontaneous markets or kiosks. It is best to purchase it at a pharmacy, where the quality of the material will be guaranteed.

However, you should not get carried away with this toy. Milk teeth have a very short root, and strong pressure can damage it. When carried away with a teether, an incorrect bite may form, which, in turn, will interfere with the proper development of speech and chewing.

Gum creams and gels

To relieve pain and discomfort, your baby can be rubbed with a gum paste recommended by the dentist. Such gels have a general analgesic effect, relieve inflammation and soothe the baby. It is worth using gels only after consulting a doctor, weighing all the pros and cons of the drug. Applying a cool compress to the gums can soothe the baby a bit if the gums are swollen.

May, but not necessarily, disturb sleep. The baby often wakes up and cries. Some mothers immediately begin to feed the child, which is not the right choice. If the baby is not hungry, he will still suck on the breast or nipple from a bottle of milk to soothe the gums. When teething and you know for sure that the child is not hungry, use other methods to soothe the gum.

Bibs and skin creams

During teething, the baby may cough. This is because the baby is constantly running saliva, which he does not have time to swallow. To exclude another inflammatory process, it is worth showing the child to the doctor.

Another point that young mothers should take into account is that due to excessive salivation, redness and diaper rash may appear around the mouth and on the chin. The baby's bib should be soft so that the saliva gets wet, and does not rub and cause more irritation. To dry and soften the skin, you can use a greasy baby cream.

Cream should be chosen hypoallergenic, oily and moisturizing. In order not to harm the baby, you should choose a cream based on natural herbs. When buying, be sure to pay attention to the composition. Some herbs can individually cause allergies. It is worth using only children's certified cosmetics, and in no case should you use adult cosmetics.

Oils specially designed for the delicate skin of babies give a good effect. Of the brands, JOHNSON'S Baby cosmetic oils are the most famous and popular. They will not cause allergies, soften the skin and neutralize peeling.

We take care of teeth from the first days of life

It is worth noting that not always, when teeth are cut, all symptoms become aggravated. It happens that this process is completely painless and without problems. The main thing is to start proper care of milk teeth in order to avoid caries and the formation of malocclusion.

Pastes for babies have not yet been invented. You can teach your child to use a toothbrush after two years. Until that time, you can use a bandage or gauze wound around your finger. It is worth wiping the baby's teeth without pressing or damaging the gums twice a day, gently removing milk plaque. There are also silicone brushes that can be worn on the finger.

When choosing your first toothbrush and paste, buy them from reputable companies and manufacturers.