Is there a warning that my baby is about to start teething?

There are signs that your baby is about to start teething. These include excess drooling, rubbing or tugging at his/her ears, difficulty sleeping and clinginess.

These signs appear just before teething starts. Some parents find that their baby exhibits these symptoms a week before cutting their first tooth but others have to endure several months before seeing a tooth.

Some babies develop a slight fever or an upset tummy before they start teething but this can also be a sign of an infection or an illness. You are probably aware that babies are vulnerable to all sorts of bugs and ailments so what might appear to be an indication of teething is an illness instead.

A good way to determine if teething is about to start or has started is to check inside your baby's mouth. If his or her gums look swollen or you notice a small white cap then this is a sign you're your baby is due to start teething.

Other symptoms include chewing or sucking, a lack of interest in feeding, difficulty in settling and irritability. Another classic sign is that of your baby being unable to sleep which is due to the pain caused by their teeth pushing their way through.

These symptoms will appear each time your baby gets a new tooth. Each tooth will appear at intervals although in some babies, once the first few teeth have come through, the rest suddenly appear all at once.

The most noticeable sign is chewing: babies just love to chew and will chomp away on anything within reach. Hard or soft it doesn't matter what it is as anything will do as long as it eases the pain of teething. Chewing and excess drool are the most common signs of teething.

Find out more in our first signs of teething article.