Some babies won’t experience any pain at all during teething, where others will be more severely affected. The pain is caused by movement within the developing jaw bone, as your baby’s teeth start to make their way through the gums.

Some teeth may come through easily, whilst others cause pain and discomfort. Once the teeth have emerged, the discomfort will normally stop.

Your baby may experience a number of different symptoms while they are teething, some of which are listed below.

• A raised temperature - but not a fever, which is a temperature of 38C (100.4F) or above.
• Red cheeks - your baby’s cheeks may also be warm to the touch.
• Red gums.
• Excessive dribbling - this can cause a red rash to develop on their chin.
• Poor appetite - your baby may be reluctant to eat because of the pain in their gums.
• Chewing - you may find that your baby starts to chew more - If they seem to be chewing their fingers often then consider giving them a toy to chew instead.
• Grumpiness! - pain caused by teething can make your baby restless and irritable.

Other symptoms

A wide range of other symptoms are attributed to teething, such as diarrhoea and fever but none of these have any basis in scientific fact so if your baby has symptoms other than those described above then don’t be too quick to dismiss it as teething related as it may be a sign of something else going on.

Remember that you know your baby best of all and if you have any concerns due to unusual behaviour, symptoms or their severity then you should not hesitate to seek medical advice.

NHS Direct provides a fantastic service and can give advice covering a huge range of symptoms and ailments.

If they feel that your problem warrants further investigation then they will be able to advise you on the best course of action.

You can contact NHS Direct 24 hours a day by calling

0845 46 47 which is free from many BT landlines.

Alternatively contact your GP.