Drooling, gum tenderness and a stronger urge to chew can appear as teeth emerge. Some babies also seem less interested in solid meals, while others feed as usual. Refusal or crying should not automatically be attributed to teething, particularly when milk feeds are affected.
Keep breast milk or first infant formula available as your baby's usual drink during the first year. If your baby already eats solids, offer familiar soft foods without pressure. A clean cooled teether or a gentle gum massage is a safer first option than raw hard vegetables or topical numbing products.
High fever, diarrhoea, repeated vomiting, breathing problems, worsening pain or signs of dehydration are not typical teething symptoms. Those need an assessment appropriate to the baby's age and severity.
Key takeaways
- Teething can involve local gum discomfort and drooling, but does not explain true fever or diarrhoea.
- Some babies feed differently for a short period; continue responsive breast milk or formula and avoid forcing solids.
- Use a chilled solid teether or clean gum massage; choose age-appropriate soft foods if already eating solids.
- Avoid hard raw vegetable chewing substitutes, frozen-hard teethers, benzocaine/lidocaine gels and teething jewellery.
- Watch feeding, wet nappies and general wellbeing; get medical help for concerning signs.
Recognising common teething signs
First teeth commonly emerge around six months, but the timing varies. NHS descriptions include tender or sore gums, chewing objects, drooling and some fussiness. Not every baby becomes uncomfortable or feeds differently.
A minor temperature change is possible, but a true fever of 38°C or higher should not be explained away as teething. NHS and AAP sources do not support teething as a cause of diarrhoea or significant systemic illness.
- Drooling and chewing on safe toys or fingers
- Sore or reddened gums near an emerging tooth
- Possible brief feeding fussiness without major illness
- Seek medical advice for true fever, diarrhoea, vomiting or marked changes in behaviour
How feeding may change, and what not to assume
Mild gum discomfort can affect a baby's willingness to chew firmer textures. Some babies briefly prefer milk or soft food, but duration and appetite changes are variable. There is no reliable promise that all feeding difficulties resolve within a set number of days.
Continue usual milk feeds responsively and offer solids as your child seems interested. Do not withhold breast milk or formula to create hunger for solids, force extra bites or use a meal timer. A baby who persistently refuses milk needs prompt assessment.
- Watch reaching and opening the mouth versus turning away or closing it
- Offer a small familiar soft food without pressure
- Pause and comfort if feeding becomes distressing
- Review milk intake and wet nappies instead of assuming teething explains everything
Safer food and gum-soothing options
For a baby who is ready for solids, plain pasteurised whole-milk yogurt, cool fruit mash or fork-soft cooked vegetables can be offered at a comfortable temperature. Prepare each food in an age-appropriate texture and keep your child upright and supervised. Avoid hard raw carrot or cucumber spears suggested solely for chewing; they may break into choking-prone pieces.
For discomfort, the NHS and FDA recommend massaging gums with a clean finger or offering a solid suitable teething ring chilled in the fridge. Do not freeze teethers solid or tie one around your child's neck.
If using fruit or other foods, be mindful of round pieces, seeds, bones, hard skins and sticky lumps. Chilling food never removes a choking risk.
- Soft mashed avocado or cooled unsweetened fruit purée
- Plain pasteurised yogurt if dairy has been introduced and tolerated
- Fork-mashable cooked vegetables, cooled before serving
- A clean cool washcloth or solid chilled (not frozen) teether for gum relief
- No frozen-hard food, whole grapes, hard raw vegetables, popcorn or whole nuts
Products to avoid for teething pain
The US FDA warns against topical oral benzocaine or lidocaine for teething pain in children: these products can cause serious harm and have little benefit. Homeopathic teething tablets and amber teething jewellery are not safe substitutes for gum massage or a suitable teether.
Teething biscuits or rusks can contain sugar or salt, and broken-off chunks can choke a baby. They are not required; do not rely on a biscuit to soothe sore gums.
Ask a clinician or pharmacist before giving pain medicines, since age, weight, hydration and medical history determine what is appropriate. Never use aspirin as a routine infant teething treatment.
- Avoid benzocaine or lidocaine teething gels and homeopathic teething tablets
- Never use amber necklaces, strings or bracelets for teething
- Avoid frozen-solid teethers and hard or breakable chewing foods
- Ask about age-appropriate medicines instead of copying dose tables online
Keeping milk feeds and fluids appropriate
For infants under six months, breast milk or correctly prepared infant formula normally provides needed fluids; do not substitute water for milk feeds without clinical advice. From around six months, offer small sips of safe water with meals while continuing normal milk feeds.
A wet-nappy count varies by age and individual. Instead of using a universal six-nappy rule, check for a meaningful drop from your child's normal pattern, a dry mouth, fewer tears or unusual sleepiness. Seek prompt advice for concerns about dehydration or any infant who is refusing milk.
- Continue responsive breast or formula feeds
- Offer sips of water from a cup with solids around six months
- Watch for fewer wet nappies than usual or poor drinking
- Seek assessment rather than blaming dehydration signs on teething
A pressure-free mealtime when gums seem sore
Try a calm time and prepare one familiar soft food. If your baby turns away or cries, pause to soothe the baby and check for another need: hunger for milk, tiredness or illness. No fixed interval after milk or prescribed meal length is required.
A cold, but not frozen, teether before a meal may be comfortable. Continue offering foods in safe textures as your baby develops; do not delay texture progression for prolonged periods based only on a suspected tooth.
Track patterns if feeding becomes persistently difficult: which textures trigger distress, milk intake, wet nappies and any vomiting or coughing. This information can help the clinician distinguish gum discomfort from another feeding problem.
- Use a properly fitted upright highchair
- Let your baby stop without pressure
- Keep appropriate iron-rich foods in the overall diet
- Arrange a feeding assessment if texture or swallowing difficulties persist
When it is not just teething
True fever, persistent vomiting or diarrhoea, repeated coughing with feeds, breathing difficulty, painful swallowing or refusal of normal milk feeds require medical attention rather than a teething explanation.
Seek urgent help for a baby younger than three months with a temperature of 38°C or higher; follow local age-specific fever guidance for older babies. Severe lethargy, breathing difficulty, collapse or blue/grey colour requires emergency services.
If your child has poor weight gain, far fewer wet nappies, persistent mealtime distress or symptoms that are worsening, contact a pediatric clinician. You do not need to wait for a fixed number of days.
- Seek urgent assessment for age-relevant fever or dehydration
- Do not attribute repeated vomiting or diarrhoea to teeth
- Get emergency help for breathing difficulty or collapse
- Ask about ongoing feeding pain, choking or refusal
Frequently Asked Questions
Can teething make a baby eat less?
Mild gum discomfort may temporarily change interest in solids, but teething is not a reliable explanation for ongoing refusal, pain or reduced milk intake. Continue usual feeds and seek advice if concerned.
What food can I offer during teething?
If solids have started, try familiar soft foods such as plain yogurt, mashed ripe fruit or fork-mashable cooked vegetables served cool. Supervise upright feeding; avoid hard raw vegetable spears as chew toys.
Should I freeze a teether for sore gums?
No. Chill a suitable solid teether in the fridge, not the freezer. Frozen-hard objects may injure tender gums.
Can teething cause fever or diarrhoea?
Teething does not explain a true fever of 38°C or more or diarrhoea. Contact a clinician for symptoms that could indicate illness, particularly in young babies.
Are amber necklaces or numbing gels safe?
No. The FDA warns that teething jewellery can cause strangulation or choking and teething gels containing benzocaine or lidocaine can cause serious harm.
What if my baby refuses breast milk or formula?
Do not assume this is only teething. Repeated refusal, fewer wet nappies or unusual sleepiness needs prompt professional assessment.
Sources & References
This guide is informed by current guidelines from leading health organizations:
- ●AAP - Teething & Tooth Care AAP
- ●AAP - Starting Solid Foods AAP
- ●CDC — Choking Hazards (reviewed March 2026) CDC
- ●NHS: Tips for helping your teething baby NHS
- ●NHS: Teething symptoms and when to seek help NHS
- ●FDA: Safely soothing teething pain FDA
