Pain during teething in newborns

Pain during teething in newborns: Early teeth

Most infants begin to feel discomfort from teething at 4–6 months of age. However, in some cases, this process can start much earlier. There is a concept known as natal teeth (teeth present at birth) and neonatal teeth (teeth that appear during the first month of life). These phenomena are rare, but they indicate that a newborn may experience tooth‑related pain.

Mechanism of teething pain

Pain arises from the pressure of the growing tooth against the sensitive gum tissues. This causes local inflammation, swelling, redness, and increased sensitivity. The child experiences a constant throbbing discomfort that may intensify during feeding, when pressure is applied to the gums.

Symptoms of early teething

If your newborn’s teeth have started to erupt, you may notice classic signs:

• Increased salivation: Significantly more saliva than usual.
• Desire to chew: The child actively brings fists, fingers to the mouth, trying to "scratch" the gums.
• Irritability and fussiness without an apparent cause.
• Sleep and appetite disturbances: Discomfort interferes with sleep, and sucking can exacerbate pain, leading to refusal to eat.
• Swollen and reddened gums.

It is important to remember that high fever, diarrhea, or severe runny nose are not symptoms of teething. Their occurrence indicates an infection that merely coincided in time with teething. For more details about this process in older infants, read the article "Teething in infants".