Phone Numbers
Directory assistance
(203) 688-4242
Patient information
(203) 688-4177
Adult emergency
(203) 688-2222
Children's emergency
(203) 688-3333
Admitting
(203) 688-2221
Children's admitting
(203) 688-3331
Psychiatric admitting
(203) 688-9907
Teething
If your baby is a few months old, chewing on his or her hands, drooling and unusually cranky, it may signal the arrival of baby teeth. Teething may begin as early as three months or as late as nine or 10 months. Some babies sprout teeth with no symptoms and some experience discomfort that may last for several months.
• YNHH Health Library: Teething
How to tell if your baby is teething?
Rub your forefinger along the baby's gumline. If you feel a bump
in the gum or the top of a tooth, it's begun. The first teeth to
erupt are usually the lower middle two teeth, followed by the upper middle
two teeth, but this pattern varies, and your baby's first teeth may
appear at the sides of his or her mouth.
Symptoms
The most common are sore gums, heavy drooling, restlessness, fussiness
and waking up at night. Teething does not cause serious health problems.
If your baby develops a high fever, heavy diarrhea or vomiting, you need
to consult your pediatrician. (Teething does not cause these symptoms.)
Occasionally, a dark bluish knot may appear on your baby's gum. This is caused by a tooth working its way through a blood vessel. You may massage it with your finger if it doesn't disappear by itself. When the tooth does emerge, you may discover a small amount of blood in the baby's mouth.
What you can do
If your baby appears to be in pain and there are no signs of illness other
than an emerging tooth, you can try teething rings or teething gels applied
to the gum. Sometimes putting a wet facecloth in the freezer and holding
it against the affected gum is helpful.
It these don't work, acetominophen (Tylenol) will offer relief. Use a weight-appropriate dose (see dosing information) as often as every four hours or as many as five doses per 24 hours.
Call your doctor if:
- The baby's temperature goes up. This is a sign of infection, not teething.
- The baby doesn't have any teeth by 14 months. Hormonal problems may delay the eruption of teeth.
Need a pediatrician or pediatric specialist? Click here for physician referrals.
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Reviewed: Robert LaCamera, MD
Last revised: May 30, 2007 (dh)
