HeyFiniTeething and sleep: does my baby sleep worse when teeth come in?
Short answer: many parents live through unsettled nights around a tooth coming through, while research finds only weak evidence for it. Both can be true. What is certain: high fever and diarrhea do not come from teething, then the baby belongs at the doctor's.
What research says
The largest study on this recorded symptoms in toddlers daily for months and compared them with the day a tooth broke through (Macknin, Pediatrics 2000). Result: in the days around eruption the children were a little fussier, drooled more and slept a little less settled. All effects were small. No symptom was typical enough to predict the tooth from it.
That does not mean your nights are imagined. It means teething is rarely the whole explanation. It often coincides with a developmental leap, a cold or the sleep change around the fourth month.
When which teeth come in
The first tooth usually shows around the sixth month, anything between the fourth and twelfth month is normal. The lower central incisors come first, then the upper ones. The molars follow around the first birthday, the canines between 16 and 22 months. By about two and a half years all 20 baby teeth are there.
The eruption itself takes only a few days per tooth. The weeks before, while the tooth moves in the jaw, the baby usually does not notice.
What helps at night
Chewing helps. A teething ring chilled in the fridge, not the freezer, or a cold washcloth soothe the gums. Closeness helps, a baby with pressure in the jaw wants to be carried. And the familiar bedtime routine helps, especially when the day was already unsettled.
For pain relief and teething gels, ask at the practice or pharmacy. Many products are not suitable for babies, and amber necklaces do not belong on a baby: they can strangle, and beads can be swallowed.
What does not come from teething
Fever above 38.5 °C (101.3 °F), diarrhea, vomiting, coughing and a sore ear are not teething symptoms. They just often fall in the same months, because the protection from pregnancy fades and babies start putting everything in their mouths. If your baby shows any of these, go to the doctor instead of waiting for the tooth.
How HeyFini checks the connection for you
Whether teething shortens your baby's nights is something you can measure. Add the tag "teething" in the app's journal when your baby drools and chews, and enter every tooth in the tooth chart. After three weeks HeyFini compares the nights after teething days with the others and tells you whether they were shorter on average. As a pattern, not a cause. And if nothing is connected, that is an answer too.
This article does not replace medical advice. If you are worried about your baby's sleep or health, ask your midwife, health visitor or pediatrician.
Related
- The 4-month sleep regression: what happens and what helps
- Baby only naps for 30 minutes: why short naps are normal
- Foods to avoid for babies
Frequently asked questions
How long does teething take per tooth?
The actual eruption usually takes three to eight days. If your baby is unsettled for weeks, a single tooth is rarely the only reason.
Can I give my baby a teething gel?
Ask at the pediatric practice or pharmacy first. Many gels are not suitable for babies or only work briefly. A chilled teething ring is often the better first choice.
Are amber necklaces safe for teething?
No. There is no proven effect, and pediatricians warn of strangulation and swallowed beads. Leave them off, also during sleep and in the stroller.
Sources: Teething symptoms: Macknin et al., Pediatrics 2000; tooth eruption by age: American Dental Association, eruption charts; amber necklaces: American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and German Professional Association of Pediatricians (BVKJ).