By Katharina Bishop

Teething is one of the significant milestones of your baby’s development. Memories of your baby’s first big toothy grin will stay cherished forever. Some babies hardly appear to have any trouble at all and are boasting their first teeth before you know it, but for others it can be a more uncomfortable time, causing distress to both you and your baby.

Just like adults, all babies deal with pain differently. As a result, some will have an easier time with teething than others. However, most babies will have grouchy and irritable periods!

The first signs of teething usually begin a few months before the first tooth appears, so you will need to look for particular symptoms to ensure that the symptoms you notice are truly teething-related. While most parents generally agree that some or all of the symptoms below occurred around the time of teething, it is still recommended that you check with your pediatrician to rule out other possible causes for the symptoms, especially if you’re baby is running a fever (temperature above 39C [102F]) and/ or appears lethargic and unwell.

1. Irritability: As the new tooth rises closer to the surface your baby’s gums may become increasingly more sore and painful, leading to fussiness and crying.

2. Drooling: From three to four months of age you may see your baby start drooling more often than normal. Teething stimulates drooling, which may be worse with some babies than others.

3. Coughing: The increase in saliva can cause your baby to occasionally cough or gag. As long as your baby shows no signs of a cold or flu and does not run a high fever, this is noting to worry about.

4. Chin rash: If your baby is a heavy drooler, the constant contact with saliva may cause the skin around the chin and mouth to become irritated. Gently wipe your baby’s mouth and chin periodically throughout the day to help prevent chapped skin and rashes.

5. Biting & gnawing: A teething baby will gnaw and gum down on anything. The counter pressure from biting helps relieve the pressure from under the gums and temporarily numbs the pain. Teething aids designed specifically for babies are safe and effective.

6. Cheek rubbing and ear pulling: Pain in the gums may spread to the ears and cheeks particularly when the back molars begin coming in. This is why you may see your baby rubbing their cheeks or pulling at their ears. However, keep in mind that pulling at an ear can also be a sign of an ear infection, especially when accompanied by a fever.

7. Diarrhea: Most parents usually notice slightly looser bowel movements when a baby is teething. A recent study done by the Children’s Hospital in Australia found this to be the most common symptom of teething, yet many doctors still disagree and discount diarrhea as a symptom of teething. The most likely cause of diarrhea during teething is the extra saliva swallowed, which then loosens the stool. Report any diarrhea that lasts for more than three bowel movements to your doctor.

8. Low-grade fever: A fever is another symptom that doctors are sometimes hesitant to directly link with teething. Many parents however find their baby gets a low-grade fever while teething. Notify your doctor if the temperature rises above 39C (102F) or if the temperature remains elevated for more than 2 days.

9. Not sleeping well: You may find your child wakes more often at night. Most parents agree that night waking occurs more frequently when the molars are coming in.

10. Cold like symptoms (runny nose, etc.): Some parents find that their baby displays cold-like symptoms when teething. Runny noses, coughing and general cold symptoms are believed to be a result of frequent hand-to-mouth movements in an attempt to alleviate the pain. Notify your doctor if cold-like symptoms occur for more than 3 days and do not improve on their own.

The process of teething frequently follows hereditary patterns, so if the mother and father teethed early or late, your baby may follow the same pattern. On average the first tooth comes in during the seventh month, although it can arrive as early as three months, as late as a year, or in rare cases even earlier or later.

In total there are twenty primary (first) teeth. The full, adult set of teeth comprises of thirty-two permanent teeth. Most children have a full set of primary teeth by the time they are around two or three years old. These primary teeth usually last until about the age of six, when the teeth that were first to appear become loose and fall out as the second teeth begin to push through the gums. The primary teeth continue falling out until roughly the age of twelve. Again, these ages mentioned above are only averages and your child may follow an earlier or later pattern.

About the Author
Katharina Bishop is a freelance writer. She is the owner of Wondrous Gems, a business specializing in amber and gemstone jewelry, with the aim of promoting the healing properties of crystals and gemstones. http://www.wondrousgems.com.

One of the possibly least anticipated milestones your baby will hit is when he starts teething. We say least anticipated because parents often know the pain and discomfort it will bring to their baby, and they do not want their baby to undergo it. How does a parent know however when teething has begun?

The average baby cuts their first tooth anywhere between five and six months old. There are some however that will cut a tooth as early as two months, or as late as a year. Occasionally, some babies will only have two-four teeth until several months after their first birthday. There is not any rule as to when your baby should sprout teeth. Just like most other milestones, it is different in all babies.

There are many signs of teething in a baby. Your baby might become incredibly fussy and cry more all of a sudden. When it is teething related then the normal things that work on your baby like feeding, changing, bathing, and playing with him, will not work.

The excess production of drool is a telltale sign of teething. When you are getting soaked just holding your baby because they are slobbering so much, it is a good sign that teeth are coming in the next few months. It isn’t necessarily a sign that they are coming soon though. A baby could start drooling during their second month of life, but not actually have any teeth pop up till they are nine months old. When your baby starts drooling, be sure to keep a rag or towel near-by to dry you both off with.

Another sign that your baby is teething could be them pulling on their ears. Since the “ear, nose and throat” are all connected, teething can cause ear aches in babies, which can lead to crying and fussiness. Other signs of teething include:

• Swelling around the gums where tooth is about to break through
• Redness in creases around neck from the excess drool getting stuck
• Irritability
• Restlessness/Sleeplessness
• Sucking thumb/fingers
• Fussy feedings

There are things that can be done to help your baby feel a little more comfort however. Baby companies market heavily to parents when it comes to teething time. There are all sorts of toys that have chewable rubber pieces on them designs to let the baby gnaw at will. Some of the bigger toys like walkers and exersaucers also have attached toys with rubber ends for chewing.

There are teething rings that are either filled with water, or can be filled with water and stuck in the freezer for you to take out as needed. These are great to chew on for baby because they are cold and get soft as they thaw out. If you don’t have a lot of extra money to spend on chew toys, you can wet a wash cloth and stick it in the freezer. It is a soft, reusable and inexpensive way to help your baby with his teething pain.

There are also medications you should speak to your pediatrician about. There are gels that are created that are supposed to help numb the gums. There are specific formulas of these for both day and nighttime. Some pediatricians will also recommend giving your baby over the counter pain medicines.

Remember, teething is just another stage that your baby goes through. Hopefully you will be lucky and your baby will be one of the ones that isn’t bothered by it too much, but if not, keep in mind that it won’t last forever and that soon your happy baby will be back in your home.

Teething is something all babies unfortunately have to go through. In most babies it causes some level of pain, sometimes severe, sometimes just a little discomfort. The problem is that babies can not tell you how bad the pain is when they have it. What can you do to help soothe your baby’s pain and make him happy again?

Teething Rings
Be sure that you have a lot of teething rings handy. There are several different kinds out there. Some are liquid filled that you can put in the fridge to get cold; others are simply plastic that the baby can chew on. They even have rings that can be filled with water when you need it. They also come in all different sizes from very small to approximately 4″ in diameter. When your baby is little, try out the smaller teething rings so that he can easily grip them, gradually moving up to the larger ones as his hand gets bigger and grip gets stronger.

Teething Toys
Besides teething rings, there are several other toys that have been created to help your baby during his teething days. They have stuffed toys and animals that have hard rubber hands and feet that your baby can chew on. These normally have different patterns on each side, in order to simulate different types of massaging. These may come in different patterns and colors that will attract your baby, and they may also have rattles and other noise makers inside. There is no shortness of teething toys on the market for your baby.

Washcloths
Why a washcloth you might ask? Wash cloths can be easily moved even when frozen. Yes, frozen. Not only do they thaw out quickly, but they remain cold longer and feel good on your baby’s gums. They also will soak up some of the excess drool. To utilize this inexpensive idea you would get a clean wash cloth wet and stick it in the freezer. Once it is frozen enough for you just give it to your baby.

Gels
Many companies make gels to put on your baby’s gums. Gels come in many forms including those made for night time and those made for during the day. These gels are meant to temporarily numb your baby’s gums so that they do not hurt. Gel can be applied with either your finger or a q-tip. Speaking of q-tips, they now have on the market q-tips that are already filled with teething gel. These have a hard plastic rod with cotton on both ends. You break one end, sending the gel to the other end. You are then able to apply the gel with the q-tip immediately. While chances are your baby probably won’t like the taste at first, within seconds he will probably be happy and smiling once again.

Medicines
Check with your pediatrician at your next well-check to see if he recommends giving over the counter medication such as Tylenol and Motrin to your baby when he is teething. If so, ask him which one he thinks is best and what dosage you should give your baby.

Teething is not something that is fun for babies, and it probably won’t be fun for you either. Thankfully it only lasts a short time and most of the time you get a break between teeth. Doing the best you can to keep your baby comfortable and happy is all that you can do. Unfortunately this is one pain that you can not take on for the baby.