Poor teeth. The real scapegoat of babyhood if there ever was one.

Let me give to you straight (for something new and different). We continuously lose and gain teeth until about age 12. I assure you, every time a tooth is coming, your child is not writhing in agony and unable to sleep for weeks on end.

There is only one real way to know if baby is teething……looking in their mouth! If baby has a swollen red gum with a white speck just under the surface, that’s a tooth!

There are a few other signs of teething – drooling, consistently putting hands and items in their mouth, and irritability. But remember…these are also just signs of bein’ a baby! Fever, diarrhea, nausea and cough are NOT signs of teething, and assuming they are could mean you miss a real illness, so always check with your doctor.

At most, teething impacts babies for 1-2 days BEFORE a tooth emerges. Once you can see it, the pain largely subsides. If your baby IS teething, teething toys are magic! So is Motrin (if you baby is over 6 months) and Tylenol (if they are less than 6 months). Careful about using medication without really knowing if they need it – and always check with your doctor.

This is all to say – babies do teeth. Sometimes it hurts. But usually? You’ll notice your baby’s teeth after they emerge….and there will have been no impact on their sleep. So before you blame teeth for a nap strike or 3 AM party in the crib – think about what else could be contributing.

No teeth problems but still got sleep problems? I got you. Shoot me a DM and learn more about how I can help!