Teething Symptoms
Your baby may show the following signs:
- Dribbling more than usual
- Flushed cheeks
- Red, sore gums
- Difficulty sleeping
- Restlessness
- Gnawing or chewing on fists or toys more than usual
- Slight fever – temperature is between 37.5 C and 38 C
- Nappy rash
Teething tends to be blamed for everything from runny noses to dirty nappies but it shouldn’t make your baby ill. If you’re concerned about their health, contact your midwife or doctor.
When will my baby’s first tooth appear?
- You’ll probably notice signs of teething long before your baby’s first tooth appears
- By six months, many babies have at least one tooth. That said, your baby might not get their first until they’re twelve months, or they may have been born with one
How to help
To relieve sore gums:
- Rub your baby’s gums with a clean finger
- Offer them something hard or cooling to chew on, such as a teething ring or a peeled carrot stick
- Rub sugar-free teething gel onto the painful area on the gum (only suitable for babies over 2 months)
- If your baby is suffering a lot, give them a dose of sugar-free infant paracetamol or infant ibuprofen. Follow the instructions on the bottle/packet very carefully and/or check with your midwife or doctor
Cleaning Teeth
- Ideally, you should start brushing your baby’s gums before teeth start to appear
- To begin with, use a soft, clean cloth or cotton bud to wipe away any milk and gently clean the gums
- When your baby is 3-4 months old, you could change to a special trainer brush. These look like toothbrushes but have rubber heads that massage and stimulate gums, introducing your baby to the sensation of tooth brushing. Your baby should never be left unattended with a trainer brush because of the risk of choking
- Once your baby’s first tooth has appeared, try to clean it and the gums once or twice a day
- When more teeth appear, you should start cleaning them twice daily
First Toothbrushes
If your baby is accustomed to getting their gums ‘brushed’, you can use a toothbrush when the first tooth appears. Or you may want to gently rub the tooth with a soft, clean cloth or cotton bud, moving onto a toothbrush when they have two or three teeth.
Top Tooth Brushing Tips
- Use a soft, baby toothbrush
- Squeeze a pea-sized smear of baby toothpaste onto the brush
- Using small, circular movements, brush the sides of the teeth and between the teeth. When the back teeth appear, brush the biting surfaces
- Always check if there are any new teeth to clean
- Remember to brush gently – babies have tender gums
- Use specialist baby toothpaste until your baby is two years old
Healthy teeth
Feeding do’s
- Do encourage your baby to use a lidded, valve-free beaker or cup from six months if possible.
Feeding don’ts
- Don’t brush the teeth for one hour after eating or drinking
- Don’t use bottles or beakers as comforters (they increase the time teeth are exposed to sugar in drinks)
- Don’t allow your baby to fall asleep with a bottle – as well as the risk of choking, this is harmful to teeth
- Don’t use a bottle after your baby is 12 months old (unless you have been advised to do so by your healthcare professional)
For more information, see our section Baby Nutrition - Teeth & Nutrition
Registering with the dentist
- In the UK, NHS dental treatment is free for children
- You can register your baby with an NHS dentist as soon as they are born, so if your baby’s not registered, do it now!
- If you need to find a dentist, ask friends and relatives about their dentists or contact NHS Direct on 0845 4647 or the HSE on 1850 24 1850 if you’re in the Republic of Ireland
When to go to the Dentist
- Take your baby to the dentist from an early age – children can be seen whenever their first tooth appears
- Take them with you when you go for your check-up, so they get used to the dentist, the surgery staff and the surgery
- Make sure they attend regular check-ups with the dentist and any resulting appointments
For more information: British Dental Health Foundation, Dental Health Foundation for the Republic of Ireland