If your baby suddenly struggles with sleeping through the night, they could be teething. Besides sleepless nights, other clues will let you know for sure, including:
Although fever and diarrhea are often considered teething symptoms, they are not typical teething signs. And you should contact your pediatrician if your baby is experiencing either.
Teething doesn't have to be a sentence of sleepless nights followed by exhausting days. If you can get your baby to sleep by alleviating the pain, then that clears the path for you to get some valuable shut-eye. Here are some great tools to ease your baby's discomfort:
According to The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), one thing to avoid is the use of numbing compounds containing topical benzocaine. They have been shown to causes severe problems in children less than two years of age.
Ideally, the oral care habits you instill in your children will last into adulthood. And the cool part is that you can start taking care of your baby's teeth before they even come in. Here's how:
It's also essential that your baby sees a dentist. At about the age of one, take your baby to a pediatric dentist or family dentist. Ask your friends who they see, or you can use the ADA site to locate the right pediatric dentist near you.
Now you know all about teething and sleeping and what to do if your baby's teething affects their sleep. It's important and helpful to know that teething can cause sleepiness in your baby. The first thing to do is to make sure that their sleeplessness is teething and not something else. So check on the other symptoms of teething. If they are dealing with teething, there are plenty of ways to support your baby, including teether devices, medicine, and other relaxation techniques. The good thing is that you're now in the know about teething and sleep so that you can get yourself and your baby some much needed rest.
Oral Care Center articles are reviewed by an oral health medical professional. This information is for educational purposes only. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your dentist, physician or other qualified healthcare provider.
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