Teething in Babies: Signs, Soothing and What Not to Do
Most babies cut a first tooth around six months. Here's how to soothe sore gums safely — and why benzocaine gels and amber necklaces have no place near a baby.
Teething in Babies: Signs, Soothing and What Not to Do
The first tooth is a big milestone — and often a fussy one. Most babies get their first tooth at around six months, though anywhere from four months to a year is perfectly normal, and a few babies are born with a tooth or wait even longer. Here is how to tell teething apart from illness, and how to help.
What teething looks like
As a tooth pushes up through the gum, you may notice:
- Lots of drooling
- Chewing and biting on hands, toys and your shoulder
- Sore, swollen gums, sometimes with a hard bump you can feel
- More fussiness, especially in the evening
- Disturbed sleep and a slightly reduced appetite for a day or two
These symptoms are mild and come and go around the time each tooth appears.
Safe ways to soothe sore gums
Simple, physical comfort works best:
- Rub the gums firmly with a clean finger for a minute or two.
- Offer a clean, firm rubber teething ring. Cool it in the fridge, but never freeze it — a rock-hard ring can bruise the gums.
- Let the baby chew on a clean, cool, damp cloth.
- For a baby on solids, a chilled (not frozen) piece of a large, safe food to gnaw can help — but never leave a baby alone with any food or object, because of the choking risk.
- If your baby is genuinely miserable, ask your paediatrician whether a dose of paracetamol (for example Panadol) is appropriate for your child's age and weight.
What not to use — this part matters
Some popular remedies are useless at best and dangerous at worst:
- Benzocaine teething gels (sold under names like Orajel): drug regulators warn against these for children under two, because they can cause a rare but serious blood problem that lowers the oxygen in the body.
- Amber teething necklaces: there is no evidence they relieve pain, and they are a genuine strangulation and choking hazard. A baby should never wear a necklace, awake or asleep.
- Homeopathic teething tablets and powders: these have been linked to safety warnings and are best avoided.
- Honey or hard rusks rubbed on the gums: honey is unsafe before one year, and sugary rusks harm the new teeth.
Don't blame the teeth for everything
Teething can cause mild fussiness and slightly warm gums, but it does not cause a high fever, vomiting, or watery diarrhoea. Blaming these on "just teething" can delay treatment for a real infection. If your baby has a fever, is not feeding, seems unwell or has loose stools, treat it as illness and have them checked.
Once that first tooth is through, start cleaning it — wipe it with a soft, damp cloth or a tiny soft brush. And if your baby seems in more pain than teething should cause, or you are unsure whether it is teeth or something else, a quick word with your child's doctor is always worth it.