Teething may make your baby restless and irritable. If fever, vomiting, or diarrhea occurs do not relate this automatically to teething, as it is not generally the cause of these conditions. See your pediatrician first.

Some signs that your baby may be teething:

• red cheeks or rash on cheeks
• increased saliva/drooling
• restlessness
• irritability
• loss of appetite

What to do?

Let your child chew on a cold, hard object, such as a teething ring. The coldness helps ease the discomfort and the hardness will speed up the eruption of the tooth.

• Massaging your child's gums with a clean finger can help reduce pain and discomfort during teething.
• Teething gels or ointments (ask your pharmacist for a brand name) are used to numb the gums and reduce the discomfort.

Teething cookies or biscuits are not a good choice as they contain sugar and may lead to tooth decay.