Ask Dr Sears
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • RSS
MENUMENU
  • Pregnancy and Childbirth
    • Pregnancy And Childbirth
      • Healthy Pregnancy
      • How Your Baby Grows
      • Prenatal Checkups
    • Pregnancy Concerns
      • Nutrition
      • Vaginal Birth After Cesarean
      • Managing Pain During Childbirth
      • Creating a Healthy Womb Enviroment
      • Gaining Weight
      • Headaches
      • Medications & Pregnancy
      • First Month
      • Second Month
        • 11 Most Common Physical Changes
        • Morning Sickness
      • Third Month
      • Fourth Month
      • Fifth Month
      • Sixth Month
      • Seventh Month
        • Growing Concerns
      • Eighth Month
      • Ninth Month
      • Tenth Month: Postpartum
        • Bonding With Your Newborn
  • Feeding and Eating
    • Feeding And Eating
    • Breastfeeding
      • Common Problems
      • FAQs
      • Rightstart Techniques
      • Special Situations
      • While Taking Medication
      • While Working
      • Helpful Products
      • Why Breast Is Best
      • Bottle-Feeding
      • Dr Poo Book
      • Feeding Infants & Toddlers
        • Food Allergies
        • Starting Solids
        • Obesity
        • Milk
    • Family Nutrition
      • The L.E.A.N. Program
      • AntiCancer
      • Brain Foods
      • Calcium
      • Cholesterol
      • DHA and Omega-3s
      • Facts About Fats
      • Fiber
      • Fish
      • Food Digestion
      • Food Labels
      • Foods For Sleep
      • Foods to Boost Immunity
      • Fruits
      • Grains
      • Iron
      • Nuts
      • Oils
      • Phytonutrients
      • Proteins
      • Recipes
      • Soy
      • Sports Nutrition
      • Sugar
      • Vegetables
      • Vegetarian Diets
      • Water Wise
      • Yogurt
  • Parenting and Behavior
    • Parenting And Behavior
      • Attachment Parenting
      • Discipline & Behavior
        • Bothersome Behaviors
        • Morals & Manners
        • Spanking
      • Mom-to-Mom Moments
    • Child Rearing & Development
      • Bringing Baby Home
      • Smart From The Start
      • Toys
      • Caring For Little Teeth
      • Walking
      • Toilet-Training
      • Sexuality
      • Fathering
      • Traveling with Tots
      • Down Syndrome
      • Virtual Office Visits
      • Bright Starts - Baby's Development Through Interactive Play
  • Health Concerns
    • Health Concerns
    • Childhood Illnesses
      • A.D.D.
      • Asthma
      • G.E.R.
      • Coughs, Colds & Sinus Infections
      • Medicine Cabinet
      • Baby Product Recalls
      • Aches, Pains, & Injuries
      • Vaccines
    • Sleep Problems
      • SIDS
      • Sleep Safety
      • Bedwetting
      • FAQs About Sleep Problems
    • Fussy Baby
      • Baby Wearing
      • Coping with Colic
      • High Needs Baby
    • Skin Care
      • Allergies
      • Insect Bites & Stings
  • A to Z Topics
  • Wellness Institute
  • About Us
  • Home
  • Topics
  • Parenting and Behavior
  • Child Rearing and Development
  • Caring For Little Teeth
  • Teething
  • How to Comfort a Teething Baby

How to Comfort a Teething Baby

teething baby

What to Expect and How to Comfort a Teething Baby

As you wonder why your sleeping angel turns nightwaker, you hear the telltale ping against the spoon or feel the cutting edge. Actually babies don’t “cut teeth,” nor do teeth “erupt.” Teeth slowly slide and twist their way through gum tissue. But sharp teeth pushing through sensitive gums do hurt, and babies protest.

How to Comfort Your Teething Baby:

Drooling

During teething time, expect the saliva faucet to be on. In addition, listen for the young announcer’s voice to sputter. Many of the following aggravations stem from this excessive drool.

The Baby Book by Dr. William Sears
Drool rash

Sensitive skin and excessive saliva don’t sit well together, especially when the skin is rubbing against a drool-soaked bed sheet. Expect a red, raised, irritating rash around baby’s lips and chin. Place a drool-absorbing cotton diaper under baby’s chin or a towel under the sheet while baby sleeps. Gently wipe excess drool off the skin with lukewarm water and pat (don’t rub) dry. Lubricate with a mild emollient such as Soothe and Heal by Lansinoh.

Related Articles

  • Is Baby Sick or Teething?
  • When Should Baby Teeth Appear?
  • How Can I Tell If My Baby is Teething?
Drool diarrhea

Not only does the face react to excess saliva, so does the bottom. Expect loose stools and a mild diaper rash during peak teething time. This temporary nuisance self-clears as each teething burst subsides. Apply a barrier ointment to baby’s bottom.

Become a Dr. Sears Certified Health Coach
Fever and irritability

The inflammation caused by hard teeth pushing through soft tissue may produce a low fever (101 degrees F / 38.3 degrees C) and the disposition of someone who hurts. Give baby acetaminophen as needed. (See for the appropriate dosage.)

Biting

The budding teether longs for something or someone to gnaw on. Teeth marks on crib rails and clicking gums on silver spoons are telltale signs of sore gums. Babies may also nibble on your knuckles, arms, fingers, and sometimes the breast that feeds them. Offer something cool and hard. Gum-soothing favorites are a cool spoon, popsicle, frozen bagel, teething ring, and a favorite Sears’ family teether—a chicken leg bone stripped of the tiny bone slivers. Try cold teething biscuits for another melt-in-the-mouth teether. We do not recommend commercial gum-numbing substances because it is difficult to learn their exact contents and find research that validates their safety.

Dr Poo: The Scoop on Comfortable Poop
Nightwaking

Growing teeth don’t rest at night; neither do teething babies and their parents. A previously steady sleeper may frequently awaken during peak teething times and may have difficulty resettling into the preteething sleep schedule. Offer a dose of acetaminophen before bedtime or, if baby is in severe pain, a one-time double dose. Repeat the dose four hours later if needed.

Refusing to feed

This is the most variable of all teething concerns. Some teethers never miss a meal, others accelerate their nursing for comfort, and a few may pass up even their most trusted human pacifier. Offer cool, mushy foods—for example, applesauce and frozen fruit juice slush. Put these on a cool spoon to make a real hit.


If you would like to work with a Certified Health Coach during your pregnancy, or postpartum, you can find a Coach in your area.

What does a Dr. Sears Health Coach Do?

Dr Sears Wellness Institute - Health Coach Certification

Watch Now!

Dr Poo: The Scoop on Comfortable Poop
Juice Plus+ - The next best thing to fruits and vegetables.

Vital Choice
Meyenberg Goat Milk

About Ask Dr. Sears

AskDrSears.com is intended to help parents become better informed consumers of health care. The information presented in this site gives general advice on parenting and health care. Always consult your doctor for your individual needs.

Recent Articles

  • Potty Training and Co-sleeping Tips
    Potty Training and Co-sleeping TipsApril 16, 20180
  • Meal Prep Made Fun!
    Meal Prep Made Fun!April 11, 20180
  • Nature Therapy
    Nature TherapyApril 6, 20180

Resources

  • Sears Parenting Library
  • Dr. Sears Family Newsletter
  • Dr. Sears Wellness Institute
  • Prime-Time Health

Connect

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • RSS
  • support@askdrsears.com
  • Contact Ask Dr Sears
  • About Ask Dr Sears
  • Dr. Sears Wellness Institute
  • Media Relations Information

© 2018 AskDrSears.com All Rights Reserved.

Cancel

The Sears Family of Medical Professionals

Subscribe to AskDrSears House Calls monthly newsletter for parenting tips and latest news.