Symptoms

• Swollen, tender gums.
• Fussiness and crying.
• A slightly raised temperature (less than 101 F).
• Gnawing or wanting to chew on hard things.
• Lots of drool, which can cause rashes on their face.
• Coughing.
• Rubbing their cheek or pulling their ear.
• Bringing their hands to their mouth.
• Changes in eating or sleeping patterns.

Tooth Eruption

Tooth eruption can be different for each and every baby depending on their family history...

• The lower front two teeth come in first, followed by the opposite top two teeth and the two on either side of those.
• Next, come the two on either side of the bottom front teeth, then the first molars appear.
• The teeth in front of the first molars are next, and the back molars are the last ones to come in.
• In all, 20 “baby teeth” will eventually be in place, usually by the age of 3.

Soothe a Teething Baby

• Gently rub their gums with a clean finger, a small cool spoon, or a moist gauze pad can be soothing.
• A clean teether for your child to chew on may also help. Choose wooden teethers over plastic ones to keep your baby safe from BPA and other harmful colours and chemicals. Be aware of what the teethers you choose for your child are made from. Just because something is marketed as a teether doesn't always mean it's safe.
• Do not use any teething bracelets as they contain lead and it can cause "lead poisoning" in the baby.

When should I see a doctor?

Teething can be painful, but it doesn’t usually make babies sick. Listed below are NOT normal signs of teething:

• Diarrhoea.
• Vomiting.
• Rashes on the body.
• A higher fever, or cough and congestion.
• Baby’s gums are bleeding or you see pus.
• Swelling of their face.

Treatment

• Medicine that you rub on your baby’s gums to stop the pain of teething may not help. It quickly washes away in the mouth and may numb the back of their throat and make it hard for them to swallow.
• Stay away from over-the-counter teething gels and liquids that have the ingredient benzocaine. The FDA says this ingredient shouldn’t be given to children under 2. It can cause rare but serious side effects.
• A small dose of a children’s pain reliever, such as acetaminophen (paracetamol), may help your baby. Don’t use ibuprofen for an infant under 6 months old, and ask your doctor before giving your baby any medication. Use it exactly as the doctor says.
• Teething can be rough for you and your baby at first. But it’ll get easier as you both learn how to soothe each new tooth that pops out.
• Breastmilk popsicles are a simple yet healthy home remedy. Freezing breast milk into ice popsicles or cubes can help calm your child's sore gums.
• Cool or frozen items. Cold or frozen foods such as carrots, bananas, or apples can be safe items for your baby to gum or gnaw on. Find more teething recipes in the baby recipes section of the app.