What are the symptoms of teething? What can be done to ease the soreness of teething?
Teething takes place when an infant’s tooth begins to come through the gum tissue. The first tooth usually becomes visible when an infant is between the ages of 5 and 6 months but may not be visible until the child is age 12 months or older. The gums may be swollen and sore in the spot where the tooth is coming into the mouth. If there are symptoms, they begin about 3 to 5 days before the tooth erupts and usually disappear as soon as the tooth breaks through the gum. Some infants and children do not show any signs of discomfort from teething, but others may experience irritability, crying, tender or bleeding gums, excessive drooling (which can lead to a rash on the chin, face, or chest), or a desire to chew on something hard. Infants and children who are teething may also have symptoms such as pulling their ears and refusing to eat and drink because of tender gums. Over-the-counter gels and numbing remedies should not be used on infants and children unless a physician or dentist has gi
