Teething Rash | Everything You Need To Know

As parents, it’s easy to worry about every little thing.

It can be difficult for parents to know what is causing a rash on their baby’s skin, whether or not it’s serious and what to do about it.

A teething rash is something many babies experience. And although teething rash is very common, many parents still worry about their baby’s irritated skin.

Read on to find out what you might expect with teething rash, what causes it and what you can do to treat and prevent it.

Baby teething rash

When your baby’s teeth are preparing to pop up, the mouth starts to produce more saliva.

Extra saliva has many benefits:

• Preparation for the body, as it learns to digest
• Lubrication for the mouth, in anticipation of solid foods
• It contains digestive enzymes needed to break down food.

Because this extra production of saliva during teething is absolutely normal, preventing teething rash might prove difficult, due to the length of time it takes for new teeth to come through.

What does teething rash look like?

Teething rash usually looks like small red patches with small bumps. The patches can be flat or slightly raised. The skin might also be chapped. Teething rash can come and go during the teething process.

Teething rash on body

Because excess saliva is the main cause, teething rash, or drool rash, is most likely to be found around the mouth.

Babies tend to produce massive amounts of drool; often, however, drool rash isn’t limited to the mouth, the cheeks or even the face.

Teething rash can be found on other parts of your baby’s body, such as the baby’s neck, chin and chest, and even on baby’s lips.

Many parents will notice a drool rash on baby’s chin and it might even appear in a neck crease, where baby’s drool has been trapped; this causes irritation of the skin.

You might also notice teething rash on the upper part of baby’s chest, especially if drool has soaked through the baby’s clothes.

Teething rash on baby’s face

A teething rash on the face is often referred to as drool rash. Anyone with a baby knows how much drool little ones can produce when they start teething.

It’s something that’s forever present on your baby’s skin. You’re always wiping it off her little chin or getting it on yourself.

In fact, a teething rash is caused by the drool your baby is producing.

Teething diaper rash

Teething can cause a rash on the baby’s diaper area. Diaper rash doesn’t usually happen because the saliva gets inside the nappy, but because the teething process produces excessive saliva and digesting it can cause diarrhea in babies.

Make sure you pat dry baby’s skin gently when you’re changing her diaper. If your baby’s teething rash appears on her bottom, use a diaper barrier cream to prevent further diaper rash.

Teething rash – what to expect

When you notice drool production starting to ramp up, you might take a peek inside your baby’s mouth.

Your baby’s gums will look as though they’re irritated. They might appear a little swollen or red. You can prevent further irritation by doing a gum massage.

These are the other signs of teething. The teeth that formed while your baby was still in the womb are now starting to move in the gums.

A teething rash is usually seen around the baby’s mouth, often under the bottom lip. It’s the most obvious external sign your baby’s teeth will erupt soon.

Wherever the drool goes, drool rash and irritated skin can follow.

When your baby is getting ready to grow teeth, this is what you can expect:

• Drooling
• Baby wants to chew on things
• Baby is feeling upset
• Crying.

A teething baby doesn’t really know what’s happening. Her gums might be sore and irritated, which makes her feel out of sorts.

Contrary to popular opinion, different academic research institutions have provided evidence that teething does not cause fever.

If your baby has a temperature, with a rash, you should get in touch your child’s doctor, who will provide medical advice.

Be sure to read Teething Symptoms | 9 Signs Baby Is Teething for more information.

What is milk rash?

Milk rash is another way to describe teething rash.

This is because it often occurs after your baby has been drinking milk.

The extra saliva causes drool and, when babies drink milk, the two mix together.

The rash might be more noticeable, especially in the gums or mouth area, when an infant uses a pacifier.

It’s normal to find the rash not only on the face but on other areas of the body.

Some of the most common areas where infants will get milk rash are:

• Around the mouth
• Chin
• Neck
• Chest.

These are the areas on the baby’s skin where milk and saliva tend to drip or gather.

What does an allergy rash look like on a baby?

When a child develops a teething rash it’s likely to be red and slightly raised and there might be small red bumps, causing a bumpy rash.

An allergy rash, however, should be investigated.

Call your child’s pediatrician if you notice any of these symptoms:

• Soreness
• Chapped or very dry skin
• Fever or high body temperature
• Open sores
• Extreme rash
• Extreme irritability in your child
• A large number of bumps.

If it’s an allergy rash – that is, a rash developing from an allergic reaction rather than a rash caused by teething – your child’s healthcare provider might suggest an over-the-counter treatment.

How do I know if my child’s rash is serious?

Your little one’s healthcare provider is there to answer questions like this.

Doctors are familiar with different types of rashes and can determine whether the rash is due to teething, or some other condition.

A teething rash isn’t contagious and it isn’t linked to any serious medical conditions.

Babies often get rashes, usually for no reason other than skin irritation.

If you are concerned, see your baby’s pediatrician or family doctor for advice.

You can also call the nurse helpline for advice.

If you’re unsure, or your baby’s rash seems to cause her distress, seek medical attention immediately.

Teething rash remedies

Although teething rash can be distressing, the good news is it’s easy to treat teething rash with natural remedies.

The best ways to prevent rashes from appearing, or worsening once they’ve appeared, are:

• Use protective barrier methods, such as pawpaw ointment
• Keep the baby’s skin clean and dry.

If symptoms become severe, medical professionals might suggest medical treatments. If you’d prefer to avoid that, try natural methods for your little one first.

Check out our article Amber Teething Necklace – A Natural Teething Alternative to see if this option is right for your baby.

How can I prevent teething rash?

The ideal way to prevent teething or drool rash (and a rash caused by other things), is to create a barrier or to keep baby’s skin dry and clean.

Wet skin becomes irritated and red, forming the rashes we see when the baby is teething.

Ways to keep the skin dry:

• Coat it with lanolin ointment; it’s an excellent natural and non-toxic remedy
• Keep the baby’s arms, legs, cheeks, neck, chin and mouth as dry as possible
• When your baby has eaten food, softly pat her face dry. The skin is very sensitive so don’t rub too hard or you might irritate it
• Watch for excess drool. It’s best to pat the area dry instead of rubbing, to prevent further pain or irritation on that drool rash
• Keep a soft cloth to hand, and use it whenever you notice your baby’s drool
• Change the baby’s wet clothes as often as necessary.

A barrier is the best method for preventing further symptoms and pain.

Can I put Vaseline on drool rashes?

Keep your baby’s skin away from petroleum jelly products, such as Vaseline and Aquaphor, as petrochemicals can be very damaging to your child’s skin. Applying a thin coat of lanolin ointment or coconut oil is recommended as a safer alternative.

Contact your baby’s doctor if you have concerns at any point.

If you’ve been using petroleum jelly on your baby’s sensitive skin, don’t worry. Just stop using it from now on.

How long do teething rashes last?

It might surprise you to learn that teething rashes can begin shortly after your baby’s birth.

A baby might only be a couple of months old when a teething rash starts. Some babies can have teeth as early as three months old.

Even if there are no teeth visible, a teething rash can still appear.

It means your baby’s body is preparing for tooth eruption.

Teeth start moving around before they actually appear. This can trigger signs of teething.

Babies often get teething rashes. They are generally nothing to worry about.

Infants have very sensitive skin, so when they’re teething, you can expect they will appear to have a rash for quite some time.

Drool rash usually disappears within a few days of protecting the baby’s skin and keeping it dry.

Even as your little one grows and begins to eat more food, the drool rash might continue into toddlerhood. Children are still growing their teeth and they still have very sensitive skin.