Guides · Health · 4–12 months · 3 min read

Teething: Signs and Soothing

What teething really looks like, safe ways to soothe sore gums, and the remedies to avoid.

Most babies cut their first tooth between 4 and 10 months — usually a bottom front tooth — though anywhere in the first year and beyond is normal. Teething gets blamed for almost everything, so it helps to know what it genuinely causes and what it doesn't.

Real teething signs

• Drooling (buckets of it) and gum-rubbing or chewing on everything.
• Swollen, tender gums; you may see or feel a tooth just under the surface.
• Fussiness, disrupted naps, and a slightly raised temperature.
• A mild face rash from drool.

**What teething does *not* cause:** true fever of 100.4°F (38°C)+, diarrhea, vomiting, or a really sick baby. Those symptoms mean illness — don't write them off as teeth, especially in a baby under 3 months (call the doctor for any fever at that age).

Safe ways to soothe

• A clean finger rubbed gently on the gums.
• Solid rubber teething rings — chilled in the fridge, never frozen solid.
• A cold, wet washcloth to chew.
• For babies on solids, chilled soft foods; always supervised.
• Wipe drool often and use a simple barrier balm to prevent chin rash.
• If baby is miserable, ask your pediatrician about weight-based acetaminophen (3 months+) or ibuprofen (6 months+).

What to avoid

Skip teething necklaces (amber or otherwise — strangulation and choking hazards), gels containing benzocaine or lidocaine (unsafe for infants, per FDA warnings), homeopathic teething tablets, and liquid-filled teethers that can leak.

Care for those new teeth

The moment a tooth appears, start brushing twice a day with a soft baby brush and a rice-grain smear of fluoride toothpaste, and plan a first dental visit by age one.

*Always consult your pediatrician for advice specific to your baby.*