At the age of 2-12 months of the baby’s life, she starts to experience the appearance of teeth. Medically speaking, this stage is called ‘teething’. The timing of Teething varies among babies; some babies start teething as early as three or four months, while others start at age of 7 months, some don’t have teeth till their first birthday. Normally, the teething process is accompanied by some symptoms, that might  precede the actual appearance of teeth by two or three months. Some of these symptoms babies go through while teething are: rash, drooling, night waking, and diarrhea; however, each baby experience teething differently. That’s, some of them feel the pains linked to teething, while others don’t. Fortunately, the symptoms of teething, including rash, don’t last for a long time; it fades away within days. Amongst the so many symptoms linked to teething, this article is concerned with talking about one symptoms namely “teething rash.”

What is teething rash?

It’s the reddish or pinkish spots and bumps that appear over different parts of the baby’s delicate skin, such as: face, neck, chest, nappy area..etc. Although it’s named teething rash by parents and caretakers, doctors and experts call it ‘drool rash’ due to excessive drooling produced by babies while teething. Teething rash might differ in shape and size depending on the area it appears on. For instance, the neck rash looks like intertrigo or a yeast infection, while the chest rash might look like eczema.

What are the body’s parts prone to be infected while teething?

First: teething rash on face:

While teething, the baby starts to excessively produce saliva that dries around the mouth, and then irritation results. Teething rash on face normally looks like red spots or bumps around the mouth. Fortunately, teething rash on face is something usual that many babies go through, so it’s just a matter of time that you don’t need to worry about. All what you need to know is how to deal with it, so that it doesn’t get worse.

Symptoms of teething rash on face:

Normally, teething rash is accompanied by various signs the severity of which differs from one teething baby to another. Here are some common symptoms that come with teething rash:

• Drooling: normally, babies start to produce saliva ten weeks after birth till the age of 4 months after birth. While teething, the sensitivity of the teething baby’s gum, as well as itchiness triggers the production of drooling. Drooling sticks around the mouth and ends up causing rash around the mouth.
• Gag reflex: a baby’s excessive production of saliva leads to coughing and gagging. As long as the gag reflex is not accompanied by allergies, flue or cold, you don’t need to feel over worried about your baby.
• Crying day and night: some babies have the first teeth without feeling any kind of pain; while others go through unbearable pain that makes them tirelessly cry. Normally, the grave pain your teething baby faces is the result of inflammation or swelling of your baby’s sensitive gum. Fortunately, the baby’s feels pain only before the appearance of the first teeth. After that, they get used to such pain and rarely over cry.
• Biting: in addition to discomfort a baby goes through while teething rah, she also faces heavy pressure caused by pain accompanied the appearance of teeth. To alleviate this pressure, babies tend to bite almost everything their growing teeth come cross, such as: rattles, nipples, fingers, and teething ring.
• Irritability: irritability happens due to extra pressure and pain faced by the teething pain, which may last for hours, days or weeks.
• Waking at night: of course, this is normal and expected. Due to unbearable discomfort and pain a baby faces while teething, she is expected to face sleep disruption. In this case, don’t force your baby to sleep or feed her. All what you need to do is to sing a song for her pat her.
• Feeding problem: to alleviate pain and discomfort associated with teething rash, a baby tends to suck things; however, sucking sometimes get the pain of the gum even worse. That’s why, babies become more annoyed and fussier during feeding time. If this situation lasts for days, consult your doctor.
• Rubbing check and\or ears: cheeks, ears and gum have common nerve pathways; therefore, any discomfort or pain in any of these areas will spread to these areas.

Remedies and treatment of teething rash on face:

1. Keep your baby’s delicate face dry as possible as you can. Use a soft warm piece of cloth and dry the saliva on the baby’s face which may extend to reach the neck and chest.
2. Rubbing your baby’s gum may help to alleviate gum’s pain and discomfort. To do that, you can use your clean fingers, toothbrush or tooth toys. At the beginning, your baby may refuse it, but then she will accept it as soon as she feels the relief.
3. Change your baby’s clothes and diapers regularly once they get wet, so you prevent teething rash from getting any worse.
4. Introducing frozen fruits to the baby’s diet, such as: peach, applesauce, and banana. Cold water and yoghurt may also relieve the pain and discomfort.
5. To moisturize your baby’s dry skin, wash your baby’s face, dry it and then apply Lanoline ointment on your baby’s infected face during bedtime and naptime.
6. Petroleum jelly also useful for moisturizing your baby’s infected skin. Generally speaking, this jelly is harmless, however, inhaling it for a long time may cause lung problems.
7. You can also apply Vaseline and Aquaphor to moisturize your baby’s skin.

When to consult your pediatrician?

Normally, teething rash on face fades away once teeth break the gum of the baby. However, in few situations, the rash doesn’t improve by using over-the-counter medications, you are advised to see the doctor.

Second: teething rash around the nappy area:

What does it look like?

It’s sore, red, and angry spots that takes the forms of bumps and pimples, which appear while the baby is teething.

Where does it appear?

It normally appears around the diaper area and genitals.

Who gets it?

Normally, babies while teething get infected by rash around the nappy area. Also, babies who suffer from eczema and dry skin are also more prone to get affected, as well as babies whose diapers not often changed.

How to deal with it:

1. A mommy is recommended to change her baby’s nappy once it’s wet; also, washing the nappy area would absolutely prevent rash from being developed in this area.
2. It’s a good idea to give your baby a daily free-nappy time.
3. Use diaper rash creams the prevents rash from getting any worse.

What are the causes of diaper rash?

1. Dampness, urine, and feces; especially, if the baby spends long time without changing her diapers for a long time.
2. Excessive drooling associated with teething ends up in the gut and loosens your baby’s stool and causes diarrhea, which in turns cause diaper rash.
3. Your baby’s diet may be a factor of diaper rash, especially excessive sugar, antibiotic and digestive disorders.

Teething rash on chest and neck:

This kind of rash generally happens if your teething “super drooler” baby’s saliva extended to reach her neck and chest.

How to deal with rash on chest and neck:

• Keep your baby’s body clean:

This is absolutely and effective way to get rid of rash and fully avoid it forever. All what you need to do is to bring a warm piece of cloth and gently tap your baby’s infected areas in particular and the whole body in general.

• Carefully choose a protective lotion:

To alleviate the symptoms of rash on chest and neck, you can use some creams, such as: hypoallergenic creams and lanoline lotions. It’s better for you as well as your baby to consult the doctor before applying it, so that you make sure it suits your baby and doesn’t cause any harm.

Teething Rash on Legs and Arms:

When your baby starts teething, you notice several symptoms associated with teething, such as: fever, drooling, discomfort, biting, and waking up at night. All of sudden, while changing your baby’s clothes, you might notice small red bumps or spots; these bumps are likely rash associated with teething. A lot of moms who experience this, consult pediatricians. Well, this is good; all pediatricians say that these bumps aren’t worth to be worried about. Doctors explain: the excessive saliva accompanied by teething makes a baby’s urine more acidic, which in turn causes rash appearance over legs and hands.

Fortunately, almost all moms, unanimously, say that teething rash on body, including legs and arms, is harmless and doesn’t cause pain to your baby or even bothers her. Also, teething rash on body disappears once the teeth break the gum. So, rest assured.

For some moms, it seems like a skin allergy, eczema or something similar.

Teething Rash on Nappy area:

At the age your baby starts teething, you might, while changing her wet diapers, confront reddish or pinkish pimply-like spots on your baby’s bum. Well, that happens for reasons and we offer you with ways to get rid of.

How does it look like?

While changing the nappy, you notice that this area is red or inflamed with pimply-like spots or bumps.

What are the affected parts exactly?

The affected areas are likely to be: her genitals, folds of her thighs, and the bottom. These affected areas are likely to be wet or dry, shiny or pimply.

Is it likely to get worse if not treated?

Well, the nappy area is a little bit sensitive, so you need to take fast measures to get rid of it as fast as possible; otherwise, it might turns into a yeast infection or bacterial infection.

What are the major causes of nappy rash?

1. Baby’s wee and poo in the nappy.
2. Leaving your baby in a wet diaper for a long time.
3. Excessive saliva produced by the baby while teething makes the urine more acidic.

How can I treat rash on nappy area?

1. Keep your baby clean and comfortable by regularly changing her diapers.
2. While changing your baby’s diapers, clean the area using fragrance-free and alcohol-free wipes.
3. Give your baby a daily nappy-free time.
4. Before putting a new clean nappy, apply a cream or ointment on the nappy area.
5. A bath a day, keeps the rash away.

Moms’ complains about teething rash:

Here are some literal quotes for moms whose babies face teething rash, whether on body in general or legs and arms in particular.

“My DS has a pimple like rash all over his body, mainly on his legs and back and some isolated spots on his tummy arms etc. It looks like small raised red lumps. some have a white center others dont.
The Dr says that they are from teething. I have never heard of this before. I am aware that they can get dribble rash on their mouth and face from teething, but all over the body? Has anyone else experienced this with their bubs when teething? And what did the rash look like.”

” Both of my DS’s got a rash with teething. I took them to the Dr to be safe but she said that the rash was more than likely a heat rash due to the high temperature they had. If you are worried then talk to you Dr about it.”

” Well the spots are definitely worse today  The doctor yesterday said it was viral… she said now that he has spots its not contagious… DS is totally miserable but I don’t think he’s itchy just teething. Come on tooth!!!”

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