Understanding Teething
What is it? Your infant is born with all of their teeth underneath their gums, when their teeth start to come up out of the gums it can sometimes be painful and cause some inflammation. This is most common between the ages of 6 to 12 months, although some infants can start to have tooth eruption as early as 4 months and teeth can continue coming up until 2 to 3 years of age.
Common Symptoms
- Drooling
- Fussiness or cranky
- Chewing on everything that comes into the infant's hand!
- Red or swollen gums
- Changes in sleeping patterns
- Changes in eating patterns (be sure your child is still drinking enough to have a wet diaper at least every 6-8 hours and tears if they cry).
When to Manage at Home
✅ You can manage your child's teething at home when:
- They do not have a true fever (100.4F measured rectally, temporally or orally), and no other sick symptoms besides common teething symptoms mentioned above.
How to Treat at Home
🏠 Home remedies for Teething:
- Rubbing the gums with a clean finger can be the most soothing!
- Make a “Crispy washcloth’ - by putting a wet washcloth wrung out in the freezer for 30 minutes then take it out to allow the infant use it as a chew toy
- Teething toys - rubber ones or ones that can be put in the freezer are good, avoid ones with liquid in them as it can break/spill
- Teething bracelets/necklaces are not recommended as they can be choking hazards
Safe Medications
When to Contact Poppins
📱 Contact us again when:
- There is a new fever or symptoms not consistent with teething
- You have any questions or concerns!
If your gut tells you something is wrong, don't hesitate to reach out. Need help? Reconnect with our on-demand team of medical staff available 24/7.
