Does Teething Cause Vomiting?

Teething is not a fun time for babies or parents - that much we can all agree on!

While teething is a natural process, it’s quite uncomfortable, causing pain and discomfort in infants. As teething symptoms vary with each baby, you may have some questions.

If your little one is vomiting during teething, it can cause panic. Does teething cause vomiting or is this abnormal during this stage? When should you take them for a visit to the doctor? Let’s clear up some of those questions!  

What is Teething? 

Between 6 and 12 months old, you’ll start to notice your baby’s teeth start to break through. This is called “teething”. Typically, you’ll notice the two front bottom teeth pop up first, with the top center teeth following suit. Next are molars, and the canines usually appear last. By 3 years old, toddlers should have their 20 primary teeth grown in. 

That means that your baby is going to be dealing with a whopping 2 years (minimum) of teething. If they are vomiting at all during this time, you may wonder if it’s attributed to this teething stage. This is very unlikely and is almost always going to be caused by another contributing factor, like a virus or infection. 

Symptoms of Teething

It’s important to be able to distinguish between which symptoms are normal and abnormal. Let’s take a look at both so you can keep an eye out. 

Typical Teething Symptoms

• Irritability

• Drooling (more than usual)

• Inability to sleep

• Mild skin rashes (around mouth, chin, cheeks, and sometimes, neck)

• Chewing on objects

• Crying more than usual

• Loss of appetite

• Red, sore, sensitive, swollen gums

• Increased body temperature (never over 101 degrees Fahrenheit)

You can expect to see these symptoms as soon as the front teeth first appear (anywhere from 6 to 16 months old). The older babies get, the less severe or frequent the symptoms will become. Keep in mind that some teeth will come in without any pain or discomfort at all. 

Symptoms Not Typical of Teething

• Congestion

• Coughing

• Vomiting

• Diarrhea

• High fever (over 101 degrees Fahrenheit)

• Body rashes

• Decreased appetite for liquids

• Disturbed sleep 

Why Might Babies Vomit While Teething? 

So, does teething lead to vomiting? The answer, most of the time, is “no”. 

Teething occurs for a large percentage of your baby’s life, and when they’re already dealing with growing pains. Understandably, a lot of symptoms are blamed on teething. However, symptoms like coughing, vomiting, diarrhea, congestion, and high fever are usually not symptoms of teething. 

By assuming that teething can cause these symptoms, the real cause of the illness can be overlooked, which can be harmful. At these ages, babies will have much more exposure to various childhood illnesses. At the same time, they’re no longer relying on the passive immunity that their mother gave them in the womb. 

This combination of factors can result in common childhood bacterial or viral infection including the following: 

• Common cold or flu

• Ear infection 

• Gastroenteritis or stomach infection

Food allergies or intolerances can also cause vomiting. If you suspect this to be the case, it’s important to communicate this to your doctor to help diagnose it and start avoiding the foods in question. 

While vomiting typically passes rapidly, there are certain measures that can help your baby recover faster: 

• Keeping them hydrated

• Rest

• Resuming their normal diet after 12 to 24 hours have past since they last vomited

Managing Teething Symptoms

The good news is that there are many ways to manage the typical teething symptoms. Here are some of the treatments that have proven to be most effective: 

• Drying Off Drool: As we previously mentioned, skin irritation and rashes around the mouth is quite normal for a teething baby. This is often caused from excessive drool. To help avoid this, take a clean, soft cloth and remove the excess from around the mouth and chin. Additionally, you could use a little fragrance-free cream or ointment to help calm the skin.
  

• Massages: It’s normal for your baby to have painful, tender, or swollen gums. Massaging or rubbing the gums with your clean fingers can be an effective way to reduce the swelling and pain. Alternatively, you can use a moistened gauze pad or clean washcloth.
  
  If they’re chewing, you can also try raw fruit or veggies. Chilled cucumbers and carrots are great options! Just make sure that it’s not soft enough that pieces break off and create a potential choking hazard.
  

• Coolness: Cool temperatures can be incredibly helpful for reducing redness, swelling, and general irritation. This goes for your baby’s gums while teething, too. Applying a cold compress, chilled spoon, or cold teething ring can be a great relief for them. Just make sure that the rings are never frozen. 

• Over-the-Counter (OTC) Medication: OTC pain relievers are also a great help for children. Tylenol and ibuprofen are fantastic options, but don’t use them without your doctor’s approval.
  
  Avoid using medications that you rub on their gums, such as viscous lidocaine, benzocaine products, or products containing belladonna.
  

• Tracking Daily Information: Using an app like Baby Connect can be incredibly helpful with tracking your baby’s mood, activities, and any notes about their health. Perhaps you discovered that they reacted well to ibuprofen or enjoyed cool rings. You can annotate everything in the app, to create a teething period that’s as seamless as possible.

Disclaimer: This article has been prepared for the sole purpose of information and education. It is not intended to provide, and nor should it be relied on for, medical advice. For all medical issues, we recommend you contact a qualified pediatrician immediately.