Teething in Babies: Symptoms and Remedies

Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors

In this Article

• What Is Teething?
• When Do Babies Start Teething?
• Signs and Symptoms of Teething
• Order of Tooth Eruption
• Soothe a Teething Baby
• Treatments to Avoid
• Teething Necklaces
• Teething Medicine
• How to Care for Baby’s New Teeth

Teething is when your baby’s teeth start to come through their gum line. Another word for it is odontiasis.

Most babies begin to teethe between 4 and 7 months old, but some start much later. There’s no need to worry if your baby’s teeth come in on another timetable — it can be different for every baby.

The symptoms aren’t the same for every baby, but they may include:

• Swollen, tender gums
• Fussiness and crying
• A slightly raised temperature (less than 101 F)
• Gnawing or wanting to chew on hard things
• Lots of drool, which can cause a rash on their face
• Coughing
• Rubbing their cheek or pulling their ear
• Bringing their hands to their mouth
• Changes in eating or sleeping patterns

Teething can be painful, but it doesn’t usually make babies sick. Call your doctor if your baby has diarrhea, vomiting, rashes on the body, a higher fever, or cough and congestion. These aren’t normal signs of teething.

You also should call the pediatrician if your baby’s gums are bleeding or you see any pus or swelling of their face.

When and how teeth come in can be different for every baby and may be based on family history. But most of the time, the lower front two teeth come in first between 6 and 10 months, followed by the opposite top two teeth and the two on either side of those between 8 and 13 months. Next come the two on either side of the bottom front teeth, then the first molars appear between 10 and 16 months. The teeth in front of the first molars are next, and the back molars are the last ones to come in.

In all, 20 “baby teeth” will eventually be in place, usually by age 3.

What works to soothe a friend’s baby might not work for yours. You may need to try different things to help your little one feel better:

• Something cold in your baby’s mouth, like a cold pacifier, spoon, clean wet washcloth, or a solid (not liquid) refrigerated teething toy or ring. Some experts say frozen teething toys are too cold and may hurt your baby’s mouth. Make sure to clean teething toys, washcloths, and other items after the baby uses them.
• Try offering a hard, unsweetened teething cracker.
• If your baby is older than 6-9 months, you can offer cool water from a sippy cup, too.
• Massage the gums by gently rubbing them with your clean finger. If the teeth haven’t come in yet, you can let your baby gnaw on your finger. If you’re nursing your baby, try dipping your fingers in cool water and massaging their gums before each feeding. That may keep them from biting your nipple while nursing.

Never put anything in your baby’s mouth that isn’t specifically approved to help soothe teething. Even some products described as teethers or teething aids aren’t safe choices, including ones:

• Filled with liquid that can tear and spill
• Made of breakable material, like plastic, that can possibly lead to choking
• That are frozen solid — these can be too hard on a baby’s mouth

Another reason to be aware of the material used to make the teethers: Some can be made from harmful substances, like lead. Look for ones made of rubber.

Child health experts don’t recommend teething necklaces. They’re dangerous: They can strangle the baby. They also can choke if the necklace breaks and they swallow the beads.

If you do choose to use one, make sure to:

• Put it on a wrist or ankle, not around the baby’s neck.
• Always watch your baby when they wear it.
• Take it away when you aren’t watching your baby, even for a very short time.

You may have heard that amber teething necklaces release a pain reliever when heated. That’s not proven, and doctors say using one is not a good idea.

Medicine that you rub on your baby’s gums to stop the pain of teething may not help. It quickly washes away in the mouth and may numb the back of their throat and make it hard for them to swallow.

Stay away from over-the-counter teething gels and liquids that have the ingredient benzocaine. The FDA says this ingredient shouldn’t be given to children under 2. It can cause rare but serious side effects.

A small dose of a children’s pain reliever, such as acetaminophen, may help your baby. Don’t use ibuprofen for an infant under 6 months old, and ask your doctor before giving your baby any medication. Use it exactly as the doctor says.

Teething can be rough for you and your baby at first. But it’ll get easier as you both learn how to soothe each new tooth that pops out.

Good oral hygiene is important, even before your baby has teeth:

• Until teeth start to come in, clean your baby’s gums with a wet washcloth or piece of gauze at least once a day.
• Once they have teeth, clean your baby’s mouth the same way at least twice a day. After feedings is a good time for this.
• After their first birthday, you can start to use a soft-bristled baby toothbrush with water and a small amount of toothpaste that doesn’t have fluoride in it. You can also start flossing between their teeth.

Your child should see a pediatric dentist when the first tooth appears, or no later than their first birthday.

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Has my baby started teething? the signs to look out for | Baby & toddler articles & support

Teething signs can be confusing, and you’ll hear so many myths. Here we explore what teething is exactly and the signs you’ll see.

Teething happens at the same time as babies are vulnerable to illnesses and ailments as their immune system develops (Simon et al, 2015). This has led to confusion around what’s a sign of teething, and what’s not. Not just among parents but also some healthcare professionals (Plutzer et al, 2012; Eisenstadt et al, 2017).

This article sets out the signs and symptoms widely agreed to be caused by teething. It also flags up signs and symptoms not caused by teething that you’ll need to go and see your doctor about.

But first, the basics: What exactly is teething?

Teething is usually defined as when your baby’s teeth start to emerge through their gums (NHS, 2019). Their teeth were always there, within the jawbones, when they were born (Lyttle et al, 2015; NICE, 2020).

“Some babies are born with their first teeth. Others start teething before they are four months old, and some after 12 months. But most babies start teething at around six months (NHS, 2019).”

Your baby’s complete set of first teeth is usually on show by the time they’re three years old (NICE, 2020). These are often known as baby teeth or milk teeth, though the medical term is deciduous teeth because they will later fall out (NICE, 2020).

Even though your baby’s first teeth will fall out, they are very important for your baby’s health. This is because they help your child with eating solids and speech development, as well as self-esteem (Waite, 2019).

For a full guide to which teeth appear and when, see our month-by-month teething article.

Teething: What are the signs?

A baby’s teeth sometimes appear with no pain or discomfort at all (NHS, 2019). But others experience a constant, dull pain that gets increasingly intense in the four days before a tooth can be seen, before improving rapidly (Lyttle et al, 2015).

Your baby can’t use words to say they are in pain but you might see some pretty obvious signs there is a tooth on its way. The signs widely agreed to be sure indicators of teething include:

• drool, and lots of it –  teething babies can dribble way more than usual
• them biting and gumming down on anything and everything – that’s because the gnawing and chewing provides them with relief
• them being more grumpy, distressed and irritable than usual
• sore and red gums
• a loss of appetite.  

(Lyttle et al, 2015; Eisenstadt et al, 2017; NHS, 2019)

Other symptoms that might be signs of teething (although there is some debate over these) include:

• gum-rubbing
• sucking
• wakefulness
• ear-rubbing
• facial rash
• a runny nose
• a mildly-raised temperature, but still under 38°C, might also be a sign.

(Eisenstadt et al, 2017; NICE, 2020)

Your baby might be showing one of these signs or symptoms, or all of them. As with everything baby related, no two little ones are the same (Lyttle et al, 2015). In fact, teething signs can be so wide ranging, and vary so much from baby to baby that only one third of teething infants would experience any one of the signs above (Macknin et al, 2000).

Some studies go as far as to say none of these symptoms can be proven to be a sign of teething. They suggest the only way to know if your baby is teething is to examine their mouth – looking and feeling for an emerging tooth (Tighe and Roe, 2007).

Try laying your baby on your lap and sneaking a peek inside their mouth by moving their top or bottom lip or gently coaxing open their jaw. Use a clean finger to gently feel around their upper and lower gums systematically, one potential tooth spot at a time.

Is my baby teething or sick?

What’s not teething?

Other signs and symptoms that studies have found are generally NOT linked with teething include:

• congestion and coughs
• sleep disturbance
• runny poos, increased number of poos and nappy rash associated with them
• less interest or appetite for liquids
• rashes other than facial rashes
• fever over 38°C
• vomiting. 

(Eisenstadt et al, 2017; NICE, 2020)

It’s important you don’t assume one of these is a sign of teething. It could be something more serious and require medical attention.

Don’t confuse illness with teething

A fever and other clinically important symptoms, like diarrhoea, vomiting and rashes are very unlikely to be caused by teething, so make sure you talk to your GP or call NHS 111 (Tighe and Roe, 2007).

One study looked at 50 babies admitted to hospital with various conditions which the parents mistook for teething. In 48 of these children, a medical condition other than teething was identified, including a case of bacterial meningitis (Tighe and Roe, 2007).

Right, I’ve established my baby is teething. Now what?

You can read our articles on how to ease the pain associated with teething, and top tips proven to work.

It is also important to look after yourself, as your baby’s upset is likely to be stressful. You might feel exhausted too, as they’ll require even more of your attention. Our keeping calm with a crying baby article has some useful techniques you can try to keep your stress levels down.

This page was last reviewed in July 2022.

Further information

Our support line offers practical and emotional support with feeding your baby: 0300 330 0700.

You might find attending one of NCT’s Early Days groups helpful as they give you the opportunity to explore different approaches to important parenting issues with a qualified group leader and other new parents in your area.

Make friends with other parents-to-be and new parents in your local area for support and friendship by seeing what NCT activities are happening nearby.

Read more about fever in children from the NHS.

For more information on what other illnesses may be causing their fever, this article from NICE is very useful.

If you are concerned, contact your GP or call NHS 111 where you can access urgent medical help fast.

NCT has partnered with the British Red Cross to offer courses in baby first aid.

References

Eisenstadt M, Malkiel S, Pollak U. (2017) It’s alright, ma (I’m only teething…) dispelling the myth from the teeth. Acad J Ped Neonatol. 3(4):555618. Available at: https://juniperpublishers.com/ajpn/pdf/AJPN.MS.ID.555618.pdf [Accessed 23rd July 2022]

Lyttle C, Stoops F, Welbury R, Wilson N. (2015) Tooth eruption and teething in children. Pharm J. 295:7883. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1211/PJ.2015.20069598

Macknin ML, Piedmonte M, Jacobs J, Skibinski C. (2000) Symptoms associated with infant teething: a prospective study. Pediatrics. 105:747-752. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.105.4.747

NHS. (2019) Baby teething symptoms. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/babys-development/teething/baby-teet… [Accessed 23rd July 2022]

NICE. (2020) Teething. Available at: https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/teething/#!diagnosissub:1 [Accessed 23rd July 2022]

Plutzer K, Spencer AJ, Keirse MJ. (2012) How first-time mothers perceive and deal with teething symptoms: a randomized controlled trial. Child Care Health Dev. 38(2):292-299. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2214.2011.01215.x

Simon AK, Hollander GA, McMichael A. (2015) Evolution of the immune system in humans from infancy to old age. Proc Biol Sci. 282(1821):20143085. Available at: https://doi. org/10.1098/rspb.2014.3085

Tighe M, Roe MFE. (2007) Does a teething child need serious illness excluding? Arch Dis Child. 92(3):266-268. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1136/adc.2006.110114

Waite C. (2019) Do baby teeth matter? Available at: https://bda.org/news-centre/blog/do-baby-teeth-matter [Accessed 28th September 2022]

When teeth are cut – BLOG of pediatric dentistry UtkinZub in Moscow

Teething in children, , or more correctly, teething, is often accompanied by various changes in the behavior and well-being of the baby, which is very frightening for parents who are not ready for such a development of events. What symptoms of teeth in children should alert adults what to do.

Helping your baby when teething

If your baby is just worried when teething, saliva constantly flows, he sucks his fingers or tries to scratch his gums with something, helping the baby is quite simple:

1. Keep a few very soft wipes and constantly wipe saliva. This will protect the baby from irritation of the skin of the face. When sleeping, put a napkin under your baby’s head to absorb involuntary saliva.
2. Be sure to buy quality special silicone toys for developing gums – teethers, or special rings with liquid so that the baby can chew on them. The liquid makes the rings softer and pleasantly cools the gums (the rings can be stored in the refrigerator). Do not save – take only branded, certified products. After all, this is the health of your beloved child.
3. Periodically massage the gums with a special nozzle, or just with your finger (wash your hands thoroughly, nails are short, with neatly finished edges), you can use a moistened gauze pad. This procedure will also prevent the occurrence of stomatitis (“Stomatitis in infants – types, causes, symptoms”).
4. Breastfeeding your baby often is a great way to soothe your baby and relieve itchy gums.
5. Some babies enjoy sucking and chewing bagels, a crust of bread, an apple without a peel – offer it, it’s a good distraction.
6. It is strictly forbidden to lubricate the gums with various medications without a doctor’s prescription, to give the baby tablets and medicines on his own. Only a specialist – a pediatrician or pediatric dentist can prescribe an ointment or gel to relieve pain, while a preliminary test for allergic reactions is mandatory. Although ointments and gels with lidocaine (Kamistad, Calgel) are sold without a prescription, you can not lubricate the baby’s gums without checking, because if the baby is allergic to lidocaine, the baby may experience anaphylactic shock. For allergy sufferers, the doctor prescribes a special Baby Doctor ointment or others.
7. Try to distract the child, spend more time playing with him, walking.

When should I see a doctor?

Be sure to consult a pediatrician if the following signs of teething are observed in a child:

• high fever;
• vomiting;
• diarrhea;
• runny nose;
• cough;
• skin rashes;
• convulsions;
• persistent drowsiness;
• prolonged irritability, capriciousness.

Such symptoms should in any case be a reason to consult a doctor. Often, parents, on the advice of grandmothers, attribute everything to the fact that the child is teething, the temperature, they say, happens in all children. And here it is not. Most children tolerate tooth growth without fever. And fever is a sign of most diseases. Therefore, it is possible to miss the onset of some disease or pathological process that coincides with the period of teething.

Why does the temperature appear? The fact is that at the site of the eruption of the tooth, the gum swells, which is associated with raising the tooth and an increased influx of biologically active substances. The body reacts to this with a protective increase in temperature – to prevent infection of the gums cut with sharp edges. Tooth temperature lasts one or two days. If the child tolerates it easily, is not prone to convulsions, and the doctor does not find other reasons for the increase in temperature, then it is not necessary to bring it down to 38 degrees. In the case of a longer increase in temperature, an examination of the baby and a doctor’s consultation are necessary.

Should alert vomiting in a child during teething, in case of exclusion of other causes of this condition. All changes in the gastrointestinal tract have a fairly simple explanation: during this period, it secretes a lot of saliva and the child constantly swallows it often, which causes increased secretion of gastric juice and vomiting (rare), as well as increased intestinal motility, which means that appears diarrhea in a child during teething. Diarrhea is rare (2-3 times a day), discharge is watery, lasts no longer than 2 days. If diarrhea is more frequent, prolonged, streaked with blood, with fever and refusal to eat, urgently seek help from a medical institution – this may be an intestinal infection that the baby brought in when combing the gums. In this case, treatment in a hospital is indicated, since the patient’s condition can deteriorate very quickly due to dehydration.

The accumulation of saliva in the throat often causes a loose cough, and its flow into the nasal passages causes a fluent, watery coryza. These conditions do not require treatment and pass without a trace in 2-3 days. But only a pediatrician can assess the causes and severity of these pathological processes. In order not to confuse real diseases with complicated conditions during teething, in any violation of the behavior or health of the baby, consult a doctor. It is better to be safe a hundred times than to regret a missed opportunity once later.

Teething: how to help the baby?

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Teething is a natural process for every small child, which, however, turns into a painful condition for him, and even more stress for his parents. It is hard to watch when a small child is in pain. During this period, the baby develops symptoms similar to a severe cold: ear pain, fever, diarrhea, general body aches and a runny nose. Plus, the baby cries and acts up more than usual. Sometimes such symptoms are absent or pass almost imperceptibly – after all, much here depends on the nature of the little man. All children are different – this is a well-known truth, therefore their development (and teething refers specifically to growth and development) is completely different. In any case, parents should not be afraid, because their baby is growing, and our article will tell how to help him during this period.

When do the first milk teeth appear?

It is generally accepted that the first milk teeth appear in a baby at six months. In fact, they are formed in the baby’s mouth even when he is in the mother’s stomach. In the sixth or eighth week of pregnancy, twenty teeth are born, which are called rudiments. When a baby is six months old, milk teeth appear, deep under which, by that time, permanent teeth are at the embryonic stage. There are cases when a child is born with teeth, but they are very rare. It happens that the baby’s dental system develops too early, and already at three months small white spots in the gums are visible in the mouth. Milk teeth may appear not in six months, but in a year. Although such a development of the situation is considered a deviation from the norm, as a rule, this is not associated with pathologies, but with various characteristics of the child’s body and heredity.

With rare exceptions, children’s dental system develops in this order:

• Six months or about a year – four incisors appear in the mouth: two upper and two lower;
• One year – deuces appear, – one more incisors – four pieces;
• One and a half years – the appearance of molars, upper and lower;
• Two years – teething;
• Three years – the appearance of a row of molars.

Signs of teething in a child. How to define them?

Those signs that parents are waiting for – fever and pain, do not appear immediately. But to recognize that the baby begins the process of teething is still not difficult. If you notice that the child began to salivate, and any thing that was in his hands, he strives to taste and chew well with his gums, then the baby is teething. This sign never fails. During this period, it is especially important to monitor the cleanliness of toys and other hygiene at home.

The second sign of teething is swelling and redness of the gums. In order to detect this, you just need to monitor the baby’s mouth, paying attention to the tops of the gums. If you saw white spots there, then it’s time to buy a special device at the pharmacy – a teether.

The third symptom is a bad mood that the child experiences from periodic pain. The kid is not interested in playing, he often cries and is naughty, and in connection with this, his night’s sleep may also deteriorate. This period lasts only two days, but parents should be patient and show their love to the child more often than usual.

The fourth most unpleasant sign of teething is various pains and temperature. It is important here not to confuse these pains with cold symptoms or indigestion. The baby may begin to have a runny nose, diarrhea, fever, ear pain and a general weakening of the immune system, in addition, the gums may ache and itch a lot. During this period, the child’s vulnerability to infections increases. This state can last two or three days, and it ends as quickly as it appeared.

How can a child be helped and relieved?

First aid is the care, affection and kindness that parents are obliged to surround their child with. After all, in an atmosphere of love and tenderness, even getting sick is not so scary, and small children feel this truth very well. To protect the baby from infections, it is necessary to observe hygiene in the house, it is especially important to ventilate the room well while the baby is on a walk or in another room. If any infection has entered the room, then airing will reduce the risk of its spread to a minimum. Don’t forget gum toys. The fact is that during this period the baby experiences considerable itching in the gums, and the teether is made of a pleasant, soft material. They can not only scratch the gums, but also cool them, because these devices are filled with cold water. In case you notice that in addition to the teether, additional help is needed for the gums, you can purchase a special tooth gel with the appropriate age mark: from 0 or 6 months. This drug relieves itching, pain and swelling of the gums. Also, be careful with the use of antipyretics. The fact is that temperature is a friend of a person, even the smallest. If the temperature rises to 38 or even 39This means that the body fights infection well. Therefore, by lowering the temperature, you deprive the child’s body of the natural ability to fight infection. In addition, a sharp drop in temperature is very harmful to the body. In folk medicine, there are good ways that effectively, and most importantly, safely reduce the temperature: these are wraps with a damp cloth. Soak a cotton cloth or gauze in cool water and wrap it around the baby’s legs. This method is not only antipyretic, but also relieves other unpleasant symptoms: headache and body aches.

Also, do not rush to give your child medicines if the baby has a little stomachache or a runny nose. Any medical medicine is produced chemically, which is not so good for the health of the child. In addition, teething is not a dangerous process, so such strict measures should not be applied. But it is still necessary to alleviate the condition of the child, for which proven folk methods are perfect – these are decoctions of herbs. Pain in the tummy very well and quickly soothes a weak infusion of peppermint, which, moreover, will help the baby calm down and fall asleep faster. The same herb also helps with vomiting. In addition, peppermint is an antispasmodic, which means it copes well with headaches. In addition to mint, you can prepare a light decoction of chamomile or oregano. Natural pomace of eucalyptus or Kalanchoe helps with a runny nose, but they are far from always available. It is worth preparing for this in advance by asking the local pediatrician for a prescription for preparing an ointment for a cold in a pharmacy. These remedies are made from herbs. They are natural, safe and effective.

In order to survive the period of teething as painlessly as possible, try to prepare all the means in advance, while not forgetting to consult a pediatrician.

How to properly care for children’s teeth?

• Your baby’s oral care should start from the first milk teeth. The best toothbrush for a child under one year old is mom’s or dad’s finger, which is wrapped in a soft cloth, mostly gauze. During such brushing, it is very important not to frighten or upset the child, trying to turn this activity into an interesting game.
• Children under the age of three who already have molars should buy a soft silicone brush and fluoride-free toothpaste. To make your baby like pasta, choose products with a pleasant, sweet taste. Most importantly, make sure that the child does not swallow the paste. It is very important not to scare the child away from brushing their teeth, but on the contrary, to show that this is an interesting and enjoyable activity. It is good if the parents themselves set an example for the baby, performing the procedure of brushing their teeth together.
• Try to get your child to brush their own teeth by the age of three. At the same time, you must control this process, check the result, and, if necessary, gently show the child where he made a mistake this time.

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Teach your child to brush their teeth correctly from an early age, that is, after eating. After all, this is logical, because after breakfast, the teeth will see the brush and paste only in the evening. Another important rule for a child’s dental hygiene is the restriction of eating sweets such as sweets, cakes, lollipops, cakes and sweet water. To maintain healthy teeth for as long as possible, ideally, it would be worthwhile to completely protect the child from this kind of sweets. But we all understand that it is not easy. Therefore, an important and responsible matter of parents should be to control the amount of sweets, because in addition to the risk of caries, sweets can cause other problems in the body. Taking care of your baby’s teeth will help him avoid many problems in the future, such as tooth decay, toothache, malocclusion and disproportionate growth of facial bones. Thanks to the right actions and the responsible approach of parents, children will keep a beautiful smile for life.

Make an appointment with a doctor now

We hope this article has helped you prepare for the big event of teething and put our tips into practice. The specialists of our center are always ready to conduct a preventive examination of the condition of your child’s teeth and, if necessary, correct the formation of the dentoalveolar system.