How to Tell if a Baby Is Teething

A Teething Timeline

• Understanding when you can expect teething to occur can help you identify its symptoms. To help keep it straight, you can use the American Academy of Pediatrics' "7+4" rule, which indicates that in the average baby, the first two teeth appear between the ages of 4 and 7 months. Starting at the 7-month point, four new teeth usually appear in every four-month period. So the typical baby will have four teeth by 11 months, eight teeth by 15 months, 12 teeth by 19 months and 16 teeth by 23 months. Your baby's last teeth may appear by 27 months, although some children don't have a full set of 20 teeth until their third birthdays. Generally, the two lower central incisors appear first, followed by the two upper central incisors, the upper and lower lateral incisors, the first molars, the canines and finally, the second molars.

Common Symptoms

• Teething can present with both physical and behavioral signs. Before a tooth appears, your baby's gums may look unusually red and puffy. You may also be able to see the outline of teeth under the gums or see the white tops of the teeth poking through. Drooling, fussiness and trouble sleeping are also common signs of teething, as is a low-grade fever of no more than 101 degrees Fahrenheit. A teething baby may also pull at her ears, refuse to eat and want to chew on everything from her toys to clothing and furniture.

Teething Timing by Age

• The signs of teething don't necessarily change based on your child's age, although they may vary with the appearance of each tooth. So while your little one may show no symptoms when a first tooth appears at age 3 months, a second tooth that appears at 4, 5 or 6 months could cause fussiness and trouble sleeping. Teething tends to become less painful after the first few teeth arrive, according to the Parenting.com website. By the time your child is a toddler, she might only exhibit minor symptoms when a new tooth erupts -- and by then, she may be able to tell you when her teeth and gums hurt.

Teething Concerns

• Teething rarely begins before 3 months of age, so drooling and irritation in a 2-month-old is likely caused by something else. And because some babies don't start teething until their first birthdays or after, don't assume that teething is the cause of discomfort in your baby. Contact your pediatrician if your baby has a fever higher than 101 F, or thick, yellow mucus running from his nose. A nasal discharge, particularly if your baby's eyes are draining, usually indicate an allergy or an infection, according to pediatricians at the Ask Dr. Sears website. While there are no studies that indicate a connection between teething and diarrhea, and experts like the KidsHealth website, which is part of the pediatrician-led Nemours Center for Children's Health Media, agree that there is no connection, the Ask Dr. Sears website notes that mild diarrhea can occur during teething.