"But my baby is only (fill in the blank) months old! How can he already be teething?" This is the most common statement I get from parents. Even I was surprised when my 3 month old starting drooling and trying to eat his hand. Here are the most common questions I get about teething.
How old are babies when they start to teethe?
Babies typically start teething around 4 to 8 months and continue until their last tooth is cut around 30 to 36 months. First teeth usually come in around 6 months old.
What are the symptoms of teething?
- Excessive drooling
- Skin Rashes
- Irritability
- Swollen or inflamed gums
- Low grade fever
- Biting or rubbing gums
- Diarrhea (this could also be associated with an infection, therefore you should contact your doctor)
- Loss of appetite
Which teethe come in first?
The first teeth to emerge are the bottom two incisors, followed by the top two, working outwards from there.
How can I ease the discomfort of teething?
- Teethers - giving your baby something soft and safe to gum on, is a quick way to help them. Some babies enjoy gumming on a harder material, which is why we also offer an antibacterial, anti-splintering hardwood. I would avoid giving your baby plastic to teethe on.
- A cool damp facecloth - my son loved chewing on a facecloth. I think it was the cool and soft texture that appealed to him. It also helps absorb some of that drool!
- Numbing gel - my youngest really had a hard time with teething and we would often rub some numbing gel on his gums to ease the pain
- Cold teethers - babies seem to like coldness on their gums, so putting a teether in the freezer and then letting them gum on it helps. I would also put an ice cube in one of those mesh rings and let him suck on that as well.
- Tylenol - if your baby is really having a hard time, you can also give them Tylenol (as per your doctors instructions) to relieve their pain.
- A shot of whiskey - that one is for you mama!
Looking for a teether? We've got you covered with a large selection of silicone and wooden teethers.
Drop a comment below on what worked for you with a teething baby!