Teething Symptoms

Teething is eruption of a new tooth. After the birth of the child, parents eagerly wait for the day when they can see the first tooth inside their child's mouth. However, when the day actually arrives, then they may not be able to rejoice as much as they wanted to because their child goes though a tough time dealing with the teething symptoms. Usually, teething in babies start when they are of 3 months and continues till the age of 2 years.

Teething Symptoms for Infants and Toddlers

Some babies may not get any teething symptoms at all. Others may have to bear lots of pain during this phase. The type of teething symptoms for infants and their intensity is different in every individual cases. Certain teeth cause more pain than others. Like, the first tooth trouble babies the most. Even molars also cause a lot of discomfort as they have a broad surface area. Some commonly observed symptoms of baby teething are given below:

• Too much of drooling
• Swelling occur in the gum before the tooth breaks out of it.
• Gums may appear red due to formation of a fluid-filled blister at the site of erupting tooth.
• Gums turn tender and sensitive. As a result, they tend to bite and suck everything that come near their mouth just to get relief from this discomfort. They put their hands into the mouth again and again.
• Lack of appetite. They try to avoid food because of the soreness felt in the gums.
• Restlessness, irritability and confusion. All these are related to uncomfortable feelings in the gums.
• When the baby teething symptoms are extremely bothersome, then the baby's night sleep get disrupted.
• Skin rashes often appear on the face, particularly around the mouth, due to a secondary skin infection which is triggered by excessive drooling.
• Babies tend to rub their ear and cheeks repeatedly as these areas get referred pain during molar teething.

Baby teething fever is found in some cases. However, doctors believe that it is more related to an ear infection that develops during this time and is not due to teething. Some parents do report about teething symptoms runny nose and cough or teething diarrhea but experts refuse to consider them as infant teething signs.

Teething Symptoms Relief

Massage the gums with your fingertips after washing the hands thoroughly. The pressure thus exerted makes them feel better. Application of cold is one of the best baby teething remedies that helps to reduce gum sensitivity. Keep a clean and damp washcloth in fridge to make it cold and then let your baby chew it. Similarly, soft bristled cold toothbrush can also be used. When they refuse to eat anything, give them some cold foods like yogurt to eat. While teething, the nipple of a feeding bottle causes a lot of irritation to their gums. Therefore, try to feed them from a cup. To avoid any skin rash, keep the face area clean and dry by soaking up the moisture with a soft tissue.

If all these home treatment fails to provide relief, or your child is having fever, then you must consult a doctor. They may prescribe pain relieving medicines to bring down the painful symptoms. There are teething tablets for infants which, when kept on the gums, can give relief from pain. However, many doctors feel that they are not safe for babies. There also are pain relieving gels which when applied on the gums have a temporary numbing effect.

As parents, you feel helpless when you see your baby suffering from teething symptoms. Do not worry, it is just a passing phase and your child will be alright after the eruption of teeth. During teething time, your baby needs a little bit of extra care and comfort. So, cuddle your baby more often to provide them with a warm, cozy feeling that they badly need.