Is My Baby Teething?

It can be extremely difficult to tell if your baby is teething. For some babies, the process might be quick and easy. Maybe they'll spend only one night actually teething, while a tooth comes in, only one night where they might be a bit crankier than usual. And then there are some babies that are in agony for days, weeks, and the lack of sleep during this period is enough to drive you insane. Baby J. has largely fallen somewhere in the middle. For some teeth, the process has been quick and easy. For others, such as her first two teeth and now her molars, the process has been long, arduous agony.

One thing to note: teething is somewhat hereditary, if the mother or father of the baby teethed early, it's more likely the baby will teethe early. Most children have a full set of teeth by the time they are 2 to 3 years of age. These teeth last until roughly the age of six. Typically, the teeth that were first to appear will be the teeth that are first to fall out. Now I'm getting a little ahead of myself.

Which teeth come in first?

At six to seven months, the incisors (the two central top and bottom teeth) typically show themselves. Some babies are later and some are earlier. Baby J. started teething around five months.

What are the symptoms of teething?

Once again, the symptoms vary drastically from child to child. It's helpful to check with your pediatrician. They're better able to tell if your baby is teething. They know what to look for in your baby's mouth, such as teeth budding just below the surface.

Crankiness: Your happy, usually delighted baby, is suddenly cranky all the time. This is the most common symptom we've encountered. Baby J. is usually happy all the time, but the lack of sleep and the pain in her mouth leaves her cranky all the time. She yells more. Things that normally don't bother her, bug her a lot.

Drooling: Excessive drooling is very common during the teething phase. The problem here is that most babies are droolers around the six to seventh month period when the first teeth start to show. However, the amount of drooling that precedes the eruption of a tooth is usually far greater than your baby's day-to-day, typical drooling. Sometimes, it's like they're drooling buckets. Expect loose stools to accompany the drooling. Your baby will be swallowing a lot of that excess saliva, and as a result, watery diapers are a norm.

Face rash and coughing: Because of the excessive drool, it's not uncommon for your baby to develop a rash around his/her chin and to cough more often. Cleaning your baby's face regularly will help reduce the rash.

Biting: The pain caused by the teeth shifting under the gums and getting ready to erupt results in a baby that bites...everything. Biting helps ease the pain in the jaw. It applies pressure to the gums thus making the gums feel a bit better. So your baby, who is normally fairly gentle with you, might suddenly lunge at you and bite at you, especially your hard fingers. Give your baby a lot of teething toys, especially the ones that can go in the freezer; the extra cold toys will help numb the sore points in your baby's mouth.

Ear Pulling: The pain caused by the teeth coming in radiates through the jaw and causes severe pain in the ears. Your baby might start tugging her ears really hard. Beware though, this can also be a sign that your child has an earache. Check for inflammation and redness in the ear, and check with your pediatrician. Earaches can be severe and can lead to hearing loss. This is coming from someone, who as a baby experienced horrible earaches, and as a result, I have permanent hearing loss.

Low-Grade Fever: This is one of those symptoms that is debated by pediatricians. Some people swear that teething causes fever. Others say that it's just a coincidence, that during this time in your baby's life, they are more prone to illnesses that cause fevers. I tend to meet them halfway. I'm not a doctor, so it's guesswork, but I believe that the teething process, which wears down your baby physically due to the lack of sleep and the rawness of their gums makes them more susceptible to bacterias and other germs that result in fever. Either way you look at it, if your baby is experiencing a fever accompanied by some of these other symptoms, it's more likely they might be teething.

How can I ease my child's pain?

Teething rings, especially those that can go in the freezer, are a good way to help. He/she will chew the rings, relieving pressure on the gums, and the cold ring will help numb the sore, raw points. Cold food can help too. If you usually give your baby a warm bottle, try giving them a nice, cold bottle. Baby J. always preferred an ice cold bottle. The same goes if your baby is eating solids. Just because you prefer your foods warm that doesn't mean your baby would mind an icy snack. Cold applesauce, chilled yogurts, cold pears and other fruits really help numb the pain.

Infant tylenol and when the pediatrician gives the ok, infant motrin, can help the pain, when nothing else will. When Baby J. is at her worst and the pain is keeping her up all night, we usually turn to one of these medicines. She can't realistically chew on teething rings in her sleep, so the medicine is the only thing that will keep her from waking every few minutes in excruciating pain. Baby orajel can help, if you know the spot in the gums that's the problem, you can apply orajel directly to those affected areas, helping to numb the pain.

Don't Worry...

Eventually, the tooth or teeth will erupt. When the teeth come out, the pain immediately subsides. Your baby will return to their usual self. It's the waiting that leaves us impatient parents in dire straits.

D.