Teething

What is teething?

Teething is when a baby's teeth start to push through the gums. Teething varies from child to child. Teeth usually first appear 5 to 10 months after the baby is born.

What are the symptom?

When a baby is teething, you will notice:

increased saliva
drooling
the need to chew on things
restlessness
crankiness
thumb sucking
loss of appetite, and
gum rubbing.

Generally, signs of illness, such as diarrhea and fever are not symptoms of teething. However, some children may develop a low-grade fever when teething.

What can I do to help my child?

To help soothe your baby, you can:

Gently massage the swollen gums with clean fingers.
Give your child something cold to gnaw on like a Popsicle, or chilled teething ring (not a frozen one).
Do not use whiskey or rub aspirin on the gums to reduce teething pain.
Avoid hard foods that the baby might choke on. Teething biscuits are okay.
Avoid salty or acid foods.
Using acetaminophen or nonprescription teething medicine may be helpful for a few days. Use only as directed. They may numb the throat and cause the baby to choke, or poison the child if too much is used. Children under 18 years of age should not take aspirin or products containing salicylate (such as Pepto-Bismol) because of the risk of Reye's syndrome unless recommended by a health care provider.

Never allow your baby to fall asleep with a bottle. This will lead to tooth decay. Clean the new teeth with a soft child's toothbrush and water, or wipe them with gauze.

Most children will have all 20 of their primary teeth by age 3. These teeth are replaced by permanent teeth starting around age 5 or 6.

Disclaimer: This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information provided is intended to be informative and educational and is not a replacement for professional medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.

HIA File CHL3774F.HTM Release 9.0/2006