Teething 101
Let’s talk about teething. There is so much buzz about teething in general, so many questions, so many concerns and so much guesswork. I thought I would break it all down and give you the lowdown on what to expect when your baby is teething and everything in between that you need to know to help prepare you.
So how can you tell if your baby is teething? I’ve put together a list of some of the most common and also not-so-common signs and symptoms of a teething baby to help you identify them more easily.
Drooling.
While drooling is a very common sign of teething, it doesn’t always indicate that your baby is actively teething. Drooling can occur in Infants as young as 3-4 months old and as a baby’s fine motor skills develop and they begin putting things in their mouth and chewing on things, receptors send signals to the brain to that initiate saliva production.coughing.
Teething babies often have increased saliva production which can trickle down the back of their throat causing them to cough. This is not a cough related to the common cold.Puffy, swollen or red gums.
You may notice a tiny white dot poking through the gums or just about to poke through. Often when the tooth is ready to break through, the gums will be read, puffy or inflamed. It isn’t usually too long from here until the tooth actually erupts.Rash on the mouth and flushed cheeks.
This rash is caused by excess drool or saliva that drips down and sits on baby’s face. When the skin is exposed to prolonged wetness, it can easily dry out and become irritated, leaving behind a rash (similar to how a diaper rash is formed due to prolonged exposure to wetness).Rubbing their cheeks or pulling their ears.
I’m sure you’ve seen your baby do this before! Babies do this for a number of reasons; they rub or pull their ears when they’re tired, maybe they have a cold or have fluid in their ears and are experiencing ear pressure, or maybe they have an ear infection and have pain or discomfort. When teeth erupt, they perforate the gums which can cause inflammation followed by pain that radiates to the ears. Babies rub their cheeks because the gums can be itchy, irritated and painful.Overall crankiness.
A teething baby will have overall crankiness and heightened irritability during the day, and possibly throughout the night for some babies. You may notice that your baby is clingier or needier than usual. Maybe they are whining and crying more than usual. It’s normal for them to be extra cranky and not one hundred percent themselves during this time, but take heart, as this should not last more than a couple of days.Disrupted sleep.
Yes, babies can often have disrupted sleep while they are actively teething. Disrupted sleep usually happens if they are in a lot of pain and it is important to note that this kind of pain does not usually last longer than a couple of days at most. So if your baby is experiencing frequent night wakings consistently for days or weeks on end, consider the possibility that they either created a habit out of waking, or that something else could be causing them to wake.Biting, chewing and gnawing on everything.
This one is probably the most common teething sign of all. Babies are constantly putting things in their mouth so this may not be an obvious one, especially if your baby always has something in her mouth or is riding out teething like a champ and showing no other signs, however, if your baby is gnawing and chewing on things more aggressively and more consistently than usual, especially if it is accompanied with any of the other signs mentioned here, then you can assume she is probably teething and then deal with it accordingly.Mild low grade fever.
Research shows that babies may have a slight rise in temperature when they are actively teething, their bodies may feel warmer but not actually have a true fever. If they do spike a fever of anything above 100.4, then it’s likely something else totally unrelated to teething.Loss of appetite
Loss of appetite is normal for babies who have teething pain simply because their gums can be really sore and inflamed and eating may just be too uncomfortable for them. They may also be too irritable to eat properly and this is also normal. But don’t worry, it’s unlikely that your baby will have loss of appetite or irritability for a prolonged period of time. If your baby doesn’t regain their appetite within a few days, please contact your Dr. to rule out something else going on.
Common teething questions answered:
When can I expect to see teeth coming in?
Most Babies will develop teeth between 6 and 12 months. Here is a small rundown on baby teeth order:
1. First we have the 2 central incisors (the 2 bottom center teeth) - 6-12 months
2. Central and lateral upper incisors (upper 4 teeth) - 8-12 months
3. Molars - 13-19 months (give or take).
4. Canines - usually Come in at around16-20 months.
5. Second molars - usually arrive by age 2
but of course every child is different and will have teeth coming in at somewhat different ages and stages).
Is teething painful?
First teeth can be painful mostly because this is a baby’s first time experiencing the sensation of a tooth erupting and this can be quite an uncomfortable shock to his little body. The molars are usually the most painful, as they are larger teeth with jagged edges so they take longer to break through than smaller teeth do.
Teething pain usually lasts a couple of days (for some, a bit longer). If your baby has teeth coming in back to back, then this can prolong that discomfort until all of those teeth have broken through. If this is the case, then It shouldn’t last longer than a couple of weeks.
For the most part, teething does not cause the kind of pain that will leave your baby shrieking through all hours of the day and night. Its uncomfortably and yes, it can be somewhat painful but if your baby is inconsolable and you see no end in sight, please take him/her to the pediatrician to rule out something else going on.
How long does it take for teeth to break through?
Teeth can take anywhere between 1-7 days to break through. However, this does not mean that your baby will be in pain for that long. It just means that it can take that long for the tooth to make its way down and break through the gums. The most painful part is when the tooth is putting pressure right on top of the gums, waiting to break through.
How to deal with teething pain?
Massage sore gums to help relieve pain.
Ibuprofen or acetaminophen with your Dr's permission to relieve pain.
Offer something cold for your baby to chew on.
What is recommended and not recommended to use for teething?
Gels with benzocaine, Teething tablets & homeopathic teething products that contain Belladonna. The FDA has warned against these due to potential side effects.
Amber teething necklaces are a choking hazard & pose a strangulation risk.
Frozen teething rings, as they can bruise or harm the gums.
Does teething disrupt sleep?
If your baby is experiencing teething pain, yes it can disrupt sleep, but this pain will occur at night and throughout the day. Not all babies wake up at night due to teething pain, but if you suspect that that’s what’s causing them to wake up throughout the night, I advise you to look at their behavior and their sleep during the day to help determine if teething pain is the cause of their short nap or frequent night waking. If they are happy-go-lucky during the day and acting like their usual selves, yet waking up throughout the night, then there is likely another cause to the night waking.
Can I sleep train if my baby is teething?
If you haven't yet started sleep training, it’s better to hold off until your baby is feeling better. It's ok to offer extra comfort at night to your teething baby, especially if they're having a hard time sleeping or self-soothing. That being said, there is no need to throw your whole schedule/routine out the window. Giving occasional Acetaminophen and ibuprofen with your Dr’s permission, offering extra comfort and trying to relieve pain in the ways mentioned above are usually enough to ease your baby’s discomfort.
How has teething affected your little one?
