Teething Symptoms & Solutions

Teething is always an area of concern for parents since it has been known to cause many of the symptoms listed below. Your baby's first tooth will start to come in on average from 5-7 months old. Most parents find that when a tooth comes in there will be 2-4 days of symptoms until the tooth breaks through the gums. Then a break until the next tooth. When more than one tooth comes through at a time, this can be a bigger challenge since symptoms might seem worse or last longer.

It was interesting to discover that some experts and even doctors say that teething does not cause these symptoms (see article below-Teething Truths and Myths). For example, many parents say that teething caused a low-grade fever in their baby, but a doctor might say it is just a coincidence and is not possible for teething to cause a temperature. Regardless of the differing opinions, below is a list of reported teething symptoms and some of the solutions to try to help your baby feel more comfortable.

Symptoms:

• Drooling
• Biting on anything in sight
• Waking at night and crying
• Pain which seems to worsen when baby is laying down
• Red cheeks
• Rash around the mouth
• Swollen gums or cheeks
• Irritability and fussy behavior which is out of character
• Smelly stool
• Cheek rubbing and ear pulling
• Temperature under 100 but over 98 degrees
• Diarrhea
• Runny nose or cough
• Will not eat

Solutions:

• Teething rings, water filled and chilled rubber teething toys
• Teething biscuit or food they can chew on if they are older than 6 months
• Parent can massage gums with finger
• Infant Ibuprofen for pain and inflammation once baby is 6 months old
  (Lasts longer than Tylenol but check with Dr.)
• Topical teething pain relief numbs gums mouth
• Cold food, cold bottle of water, or cup of cold water 
• Lots of love, holding, and patience from parents
• There are other homeopathic remedies which are not always regulated and can be riskier to try

Teething Truths and Myths
By Maureen Connolly for Your Baby Today

Got a fussy baby on your hands? Can't sleep, doesn't want to eat, is running a low-grade fever -- must be teething, right? Maybe not.

* American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry spokesperson Michael J. Hanna, D.M.D, says that several of the symptoms associated with teething simply aren't caused by cutting a tooth. Truth or Myth?: Teething causes...

• Fever.
  "Viral and bacterial infections cause fever, not teething." However, a temperature might be due to broken gums that are exposed to bacteria or from the eruption of cysts on the gums, which can occur from teething. Dr. Hanna says to keep in mind that your infant is also putting a lot more things in his mouth right around this time and has probably (or will soon) begin crawling. Both of these things expose him to more fever-causing viruses and bacteria unrelated to teething.
• Ear Pain.
  Because the ear drum and teeth share a common nerve center, teething can sometimes be experienced as referred ear pain. A child tugging at her ear might also have an ear infection which is why it's important to find out what other symptoms are associated with ear infections so you can rule one out.
• Excess Drooling.
  According to Dr. Hanna, the body doesn't produce excess saliva while a child is teething. But because babies tend to want to chew on hard objects or their hand to help equalize some of the pressure and tenderness they're feeling, the mouth is open more, causing secretions to seep out instead of swallowed.
• Runny Nose
  Not true, since teething doesn't produce more secretions. A runny nose is likely due to an allergy or cold.
• Diaper Rash
  It's been said that the saliva becomes more acidic to help the tooth cut through the gum, but Dr. Hanna says this isn't the case. Instead, a perineal rash could be due to a viral or bacterial intestinal infection, or even from eating more carbs, which are more acidic.
• Lack of Appetite.
  When your gums are tender and sore, it doesn't feel so good to munch on food or suck on a nipple.
  
  Maureen Connolly is the editor of Your Baby Today and mom to Jack, 3, and Sean, 10 months. Taken from a great website with lots of newborn information:

Also see: Teething Babies www.teething-babies.co.uk