Teething is a right of passage for all babies and all new parents.  You suddenly find yourself dealing with a fussy, drooling baby, what could be the cause?  Look in his mouth, you may find red, swollen gums, a sure sign your little one is getting his first tooth.  

Every baby is different when it comes to teething.  Some breeze through the whole process without ever batting an eye.  One day they wake up with a little tooth peeking through their gums and yet never broke a sweat.  While other babies have a terrible time.  You won't know how your baby will react to teething until you get there.  Although you could try asking your parents what you were like, how a baby handles teething seems to run in the family.

On average babies get their first tooth between 4 and 7 months, although some get them earlier and some later.  For example I got my first little tooth when I was just three months old while my one brother was nine months old before he sprouted his first.  Your baby will likely take after her parents so if you got your first tooth early she probably will too.  

So how do you know if your baby is teething?  Well the only sure sign is red, swollen gums followed by a little white tooth peeking through.  However, there are a few other symptoms to look out for that can be signs your little one is about to get a new addition to her mouth.

• Excessive drooling.  All babies drool so it can be hard to determine if the drooling you see is just normal baby stuff or a sign of teething.  Typically if your baby is teething he will be drool much more than normal.
• Irritability, fussiness and mood swings.  The pain and pressure from the new tooth trying to break through the gums is enough to make a grown up fussy, so it isn't any wonder that babies typically get rather fussy when they are getting a new tooth.  The fussiness will typically be worse at night when they aren't distracted by the activity of the daytime. 
• Biting and chewing.  If you notice your baby is biting and chewing on everything in sight it may be a sign that she is teething.  They bite and chew on things to help sooth the discomfort of their inflamed gums. 
• Sleep problems.  A teething baby will often have a hard time sleeping because of the pain and discomfort. 
• Diarrhea.  This can also be a sign of many other illnesses so don't assume that your baby is teething, check with your pediatrician.
• Low-grade fever.  This is not a common symptom of teething but does happen in some infants.
• Refusing food.  

If you are in doubt about whether your baby is teething feel or look inside his mouth.  If you see inflamed gums or a little tooth trying to make its way to the surface you can be sure that your baby is teething.  

There are a few things you can do to help ease the pain and discomfort associated with teething.  

• Try rubbing your baby's gums periodically.  This provides counter pressure and can be very soothing.
• Provide her with things to chew on like a teething ring or a cold cloth.
• Talk to your pediatrician about possibly giving her some children's pain reliever if nothing else seems to work.

Teething is something all babies and all parents have to get through.  Maybe you'll be one of the lucky ones and your baby will breeze right through it.  If not, do what you can to ease her discomfort and remember that this too shall pass.