How to Tell if a Baby is Teething

Baby teeth start to show around month 7.

It can sometimes be difficult to tell when your baby is teething. Teething really bothers some babies, while others get their teeth without any symptoms at all. Your baby's first tooth will probably come in sometime around her seventh month, but the symptoms surrounding teething can begin before your baby actually gets that first tooth. Some symptoms are common to all teething babies.

Instructions

1. Look to see if your baby is drooling. Some babies begin drooling as early as three months of age. Teething stimulates drooling in many babies.

2. Watch to see if your baby is biting. This is a common sign of teething. The pressure of biting down on something helps to relieve any pain your baby may be feeling from his teeth coming in.

3. Look for bulging gums. When teeth are coming in, you may be able to see the outline of the teeth underneath the gums.

4. Consider your baby's mood. Your baby may be cranky or fussy when teething and harder to soothe.

Tips & Warnings

• While teething, some babies seem to be in severe pain, while other babies show no signs of pain at all.

• Some teething babies experience a low-grade fever or diarrhea. Many doctors are actually unsure whether these are related to teething.

• If your baby is in pain from teething, offer her a teething toy and ask your doctor about using an over-the-counter pain reliever.

• If your baby has a low-grade fever for longer than three days, call your doctor.

• Do not give babies aspirin as a fever reducer.

Resources

• WhatToExpect: 5 Signs of Teething
• AskDrSears.com: Teething Tips