Teething in babies can lead to much discomfort and pain, which your baby may voice through the medium of crying. The age in which babies begins to develop teeth varies on a case to case basis, but generally the first teeth begin to show between the ages of four to seven months. Please note that if your child has not developed teeth by the age of fifteen months, it may be wise to pay a visit to a pediatric dentist.

Can Teething Cause Vomiting?

It is unlikely that teething will cause vomiting, or any other flu like symptom (such as nausea, cough or ear ache). These symptoms will most likely be caused by viral illnesses or ear infections. Your child may, however, be rubbing their ears due to the pain associated with teething, which may lead you to conclude that an infection has occurred. You can take your child’s temperature to determine any indication of a fever, which would in turn indicate an infection. In such an instance, you should pay a visit to pediatrician. Although teething generally does not cause vomiting in babies, there can always be exception, and you may find this does happen. If you are worried about the health of your child, then it may be wise to consult health care professional.

What Does the Teething Process Look Like?

As mentioned, the age in which babies’ teething varies from child to child. Some babies are even born with teeth. That being said, there is general teething process that most babies go through, which is detailed below:

• The first teeth to come through are often the front teeth at the bottom of the mouth (incisors). This usually happens around the ages of five to seven months.
• At around the ages of six to eight months, the front teeth at the top of the mouth (incisors) begin to appear.
• At the age of about nine to eleven months, the lateral incisors at the top of the mouth (which are the teeth that reside beside the top two front teeth), begin to show.
• At the age of about ten to twelve months, the lateral incisors at the bottom of the mouth (which are the teeth that reside beside the bottom two front teeth), begin to show.
• The back teeth, or molars, start to come through at roughly the ages of twelve to sixteen months.
• The teeth that grow towards the back of the mouth, called canines, generally begin to push through at the ages of sixteen to twenty months.
• The second set of molars often begin to show at the ages of twenty to thirty months.

Common Symptoms of Teething

When asking–can teething cause vomiting? You must understand that everyone is different, and your child may experience symptoms, when another’s child may have a relatively smooth teething experience. That being said, some common symptoms related to teething:

1. Drooling

The teething process can cause your baby to expel excess amounts of drool. If you find this happening, and notice their clothing is consistently covered in saliva, place a bib on them to catch any unwanted drool.

2. Rash

The excessive amounts of drool noted above can cause rashes, redness, chafing, and/or chapping in the mouth, and it may also affect their chin and neck. To prevent this, ensure to wipe away any excess drool around their mouth, or use a gently moisturizer to protect their fragile skin.

3. Gag Reflex/Coughing

The excess saliva cause your child to cough, by triggering their gag reflex as the saliva runs down their throats. This should not insight any worry if your child is showing no other symptoms of an illness or infection.

4. Biting

As mentioned, teething can be extremely uncomfortable and painful for babies. A common thing that they do in an attempt to relieve pain is biting down on whatever they can to provide counter pressure and relieve pain.

5. Crying

Although some children may go through the teething process with little sign of pain or discomfort, it is extremely common for babies to let you know of the pain that they are feeling by crying. This is usually worse at the start of the process (or when the molars push through, due to their size). That being said, many children get used to the teething process and most of the crying subsides by the latter stages.

6. Irritability

Due to the pain caused by the teeth pushing through the gums, it is entirely natural for your child to become irritable. This may last a few hours, but can persist for days.

7. Difficulty Feeding

The action of feeding may cause more pain for the child due to the sucking motion required to obtain milk or formula. If this continues, and feeding becomes increasingly difficult, then speak with a pediatrician as soon as possible.

8. Difficulty Sleeping

Even if your child has consistently slept throughout the night their entire life, the pain associated with teething can cause a disruption to their normal slumber. Lack of sleep can add to irritability, among having other unwanted effects for your baby. Try to comfort your child with lullabies and patting until they are able to rest.

9. Cheek Rubbing/Ear Pulling

As the gums, cheeks, and ears share the same nerve pathways, pain sensation in the gums are often also felt in the cheeks and ears. This can lead to your child ferociously tugging their ears, or rubbing their cheeks.

When to Worry

The symptoms noticed above are quite common during the teething process, but there are symptoms that you should look out for which may indicate a more serious problem. These include:

• Vomiting
• Earache
• Fever over 100
• Coughing

Remedies to Relieve Teething Discomfort

When asking–can teething cause vomiting? You should not disregard the most common symptom of teething; pain and discomfort. Luckily, there are remedies that you can carry out to help reduce this:

1. Gum Massage

Simply ensure that your fingers are clean and gently apply counter-pressure to your child’s gums with your finger.

2. Cold Spoon

This can be done by placing a spoon in the fridge (not the freezer as this would be far too cold), simply place the rounded side of the poon onto your child’s gums to provide some relief from their discomfort. It would be wise, however, to do this before the teeth push through, so as to avoid chipping any new teeth.

3. Cold Washcloth

Chill a washcloth or simply run it under cold water, and allow your baby to gnaw on it, to obtain relief from pain.

4. Chilled Foods

Use chilled foods to give your child much needed sustenance, as well as temporary relief.

5. Plush Teething Toy

There are many soft toys made specifically for teething babies that you can give to your child to offer relief.

6. Distraction

Try distracting your child, take them on a trip, play a game with them, take their mind off of the pain.