While you’re newborn may currently have an adorable gummy smile, you may be anticipating when their first tooth starts to come in. As cute as their little teeth are, this milestone can be a struggle for both you and your infant.

Here are a few baby teething symptoms to look for and tips on how to manage your baby’s sore gums!

At What Age Do Infants Start Teething?

There is not one specific baby teething age, but can range from as young as 2-3 months to as old as 12-14 months old. However, while the teething process can start early, typically the first tooth doesn’t appear until around 6 months old. Since each child grows and develops at their own rate, there is no need to worry if your child doesn’t show signs of teething right away! However, if your baby hasn’t gotten their first tooth by 18 months, you can go see a doctor or dentist to make sure they are developing properly.

Signs and Symptoms of Teething

While a lot of infants do not have an issue with teething, others can experience pain and discomfort. Teething occurs when a baby’s first tooth starts forming and pushes up from the gums. Because the tooth needs to penetrate through the gums, the area can become red and swollen. A blister, fluid-filled bump can also form in the area of the tooth. 

Despite the teething process occurring in all infants as they grow, their symptoms are not set in stone. This means that symptoms can vary from baby to baby. However, here are a few common signs and symptoms you can look out for: 

• Increased Biting and Sucking: Your child may start to bite or suck on their hands, fingers, or toys more often in an attempt to relieve the pressure they feel on their gums.

• Loss of Appetite: This can occur due to your baby experiencing teething gum pain or having sore and swollen gums. Many times infants will refuse to eat or drink if their mouth hurts.

• Difficulty Sleeping: Your teething baby can have a hard time sleeping at night or taking naps during the day due to their swollen gums.

• Irritability: This is to be expected since your infant is more likely to be irritable if they feel discomfort. To help with this you can find ways to comfort your baby or even play with them to distract them.

• Excess Drooling: Increased drooling is another sign of teething. Be aware that it can cause a rash around their mouth and chin. To prevent this, wipe up any drool they may have, but gently pat rather than wipe and not too often as that can also irritate their delicate skin.

Baby Teething Remedies

So you may be wondering, how do I go about soothing sore gums and relieving baby gum pain? We have a few DIY, safe, and natural teething remedies you can try out for your baby!

1. Massaging Gums

One simple solution to baby gum pain you can do at home is by massaging your baby’s gums. Make sure your hands are first washed and clean. Then you can rub your infant’s gums with a finger to help with the pressure they may feel on their gums as their tooth starts to push out. 

2. Teething Toy or Ring

You can also offer your child a teething toy or ring that they can chew on to relieve their gums. However, it is important to avoid teething rings that are filled with fluid as their teeth can potentially puncture it and release the liquid inside. Opt for a solid, age-appropriate toy that is BPA-free and non-toxic. 

3. Cold

Using cold items is an easy and natural way to help numb the gums and help swollen gums. While you can put a teething toy in the fridge to cool it down, a simple DIY you can do at home is putting a wet or damp washcloth you are comfortable with your baby chewing on into the fridge to chill. You can even make multiple at a time by putting them into food bags and having them ready whenever your baby needs them. You can also incorporate the cold easily into their food. For instance, you can give them cold drinks or cold pureed fruit.

4. Pain Relievers for Babies

If worse comes to worst and nothing is helping your baby, you can check in with your pediatrician. Most likely an over the counter pain reliever will be recommended. You can go for ibuprofen or acetaminophen, but make sure to avoid aspirin.

5. Organic Clothing Items

If your infant is having difficulty falling asleep, one thing to help sooth them along with other teething remedies would be comfortable clothes for them to sleep in. Opt for WithOrganic’s 100% organic cotton baby clothing. Organic cotton is not only soft, but is non-toxic and great for your baby’s sensitive skin. We also carry organic cotton bibs that will help your drooling teething baby as wiping them off with our organic bibs will be less harsh on their skin compared to other fabrics. Since organic cotton is non-toxic, you can even wet and put any of our items in the fridge for your baby to teeth on and soothe their swollen gums without worry!

Oral Care for Infants

Once your baby’s first tooth comes out, that’s when oral care should start! First you should visit a dentist or pediatrician to get their teeth examined and talk about how to keep it healthy. It is recommended that your child receive fluoride varnish once they have teeth to prevent tooth decay and can be applied by a dentist or pediatrician. You must also start brushing your infant’s teeth twice a day with a bit of fluoride toothpaste once their first tooth pops up. 

The baby teething stage can be a stressful time, but also exciting as it means your child can soon start further exploring the world of food! With these tips we hope to have made this transition stage a bit easier for you and your infant.

Check out WithOrganic’s 100% organic cotton clothing that is not only great for you baby to wear, but safe for your infant to chew on!