Something to chew on.  Providing your baby with something to chew on will help relieve pressure on the gums, especially if it is icy cold and numbing.  Try giving her a frozen bagel, a frozen banana, a clean washcloth with an ice cube tightly wrapped and secured inside with a rubber band, a chilled carrot with the small end cut off, or a bumpy rubber teething ring.  Whatever you use to soothe a teething baby, she should have it only in a sitting position and while under your supervision.

Something to rub against.  Many babies enjoy a grownup finger rubbed firmly on the gum.  Some will protest the intrusion at first, since the rubbing seems to hurt at the start, and then calm down as the pressure begins to bring relief.

Something cold to drink.  Offer your baby a bottle of icy cold water. If she doesn't take a bottle or is bothered by the sucking, offer the liquid in a cup, but remove the ice first.  This will also help increase baby's fluid intake, important if she is losing fluids through drooling and/or loose stools.

Something cold to eat.  Applesauce, pureed peaches, or yogurt, chilled in the freezer, may be more appealing to your teething baby than warm or room-temperature foods.

Something to relieve the pain.  If your baby is in pain even after you've tried all the above suggestions, acetaminophen (Anacin, Liquiprin, Panadol, Tempra, Tylenol) should help.  ASPIRIN SHOULD NEVER BE GIVEN BECAUSE IT CAN CAUSE REYE SYNDROME.  Reye Syndrome is a serious disorder of the brain and liver.  Avoid giving any other medication by mouth or rubbing anything on the baby's gums unless recommended by a doctor.
Drooling.  Babies start drooling anywhere from about ten weeks to three or four months of age.  Teething stimulates drooling, more in some babies than in others.

Chin or face rash.  It is not unusual for a dry skin rash or chapping to develop on the chin and around the mouth because of irritation from constant contact with saliva when babies drool.  To help prevent this, gently wipe the drool periodically during the daytime, and place a towel under the crib sheet to absorb the excess while your baby sleeps.  If a patch of dry skin appears, keep it well lubricated with a mild skin cream.  Ask the doctor for a recommendation.

A little cough.  Excess saliva can cause your baby to gag or cough occasionally.  It's nothing to worry about as long as your baby seems healthy otherwise.  Often babies will continue the cough as an attention getter or because they find it fun.

Biting.  A teething baby will gum down on anything she can get her mouth on because it helps relieve the pressure from under the gum.

Pain.  Inflammation is the protective response of the tender gum tissue to the impending tooth.  It causes seemingly unbearable pain in some babies, but almost none in others.  Discomfort is often worst with the first teeth and with the molars.

Irritability.  As the inflammation and discomfort increase, your baby may be cranky.  Some babies will suffer more than others, with irritability lasting weeks instead of days or hours.

Refusal to eat.  Once a teething baby begins to suck, the suction created increases her discomfort, and she may reject her feeding.  A baby who has started solids may lose interest in them for the time being.  If your baby refuses more than a couple of feedings or seems to be taking very little for several days, you should call the doctor.

Diarrhea.  Excess saliva swallowed can possibly loosen the stools.  However, if your baby has more than two watery stools in a row, you should call the doctor.  Her diarrhea may not be related to teething.

Low-grade fever.   Low-grade fever under 101  F can occasionally accompany teething as a result of inflammation of the gums.  Treat low-grade fever with teething as you would fever at any other time (see "Fever and Mild Pain" below), calling the doctor if it lasts for three days.

Wakefulness.  Because of discomfort with teething, even the baby who has been sleeping through the night may suddenly begin night waking again.  To avoid her lapsing back into old habits, don't rush to comfort or feed her.  Instead, see if she can settle back down herself (see "Mixing Days & Nights" below).  Night waking, like many other teething problems, is more common with first teeth and molars.

Gum bruising.  Occasionally, teething causes some bleeding under the gums which may appear as a bluish lump.  This is nothing to worry about.  It will resolve on its own.  Cold compresses may lessen discomfort and speed the resolution of the bruises.

Ear pulling and cheek rubbing.  Pain in the gums may travel to the ears and cheeks along nerve pathways they share, especially when molars begin pushing their way in.  That's why some babies, when teething, pull at an ear or rub a cheek or chin.  Keep in mind, though, that babies also tug at their ear when they have ear infections.  If you suspect an ear infection (see "Ear Infections" below), check with the doctor.
Teething
Teething
Other topics
Not all babies teethe at the same time.  It depends on when their teeth erupt.  Between three months and three years of age is typical.  Symptoms of teething vary from child to child, but a teething baby may experience any or all of the following.
Symptoms
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Providing relief