Sleep during teething: how can you help your baby?
Gum discomfort can temporarily disrupt sleep, but it's easy to overestimate how much teething really drives night wakings.
Teething, which usually starts around 6 months but varies a lot from child to child, can cause local discomfort, increased drooling, and mild irritability in the days before a tooth comes through. This discomfort can genuinely make falling asleep harder or trigger a few extra wake-ups for a few nights.
That said, research suggests teething is often overestimated as a cause of major sleep disruption: many night wakings blamed on teeth actually coincide with other normal developmental stages (separation anxiety, motor milestones, sleep regressions) that have nothing to do with teeth at all.
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To ease discomfort, a chilled (not frozen) teething ring, gentle gum massage with a clean finger, or, on a healthcare provider's advice, an appropriate dose of acetaminophen can help. Teething gels containing benzocaine, or homeopathic remedies, are generally not recommended due to documented risks.
If fever runs high (above 38°C rectally in a young baby), if baby refuses to drink, or if symptoms last more than a few days, it's better to see a healthcare provider rather than automatically blaming teething, since significant fever generally isn't caused by teeth themselves.
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This information is general and does not replace advice from your healthcare professional (doctor, midwife, nurse, pharmacist). Every situation is unique: always check with them before making a decision. In an emergency, call 911 or your local emergency services.
