Can cutting teeth cause your toddler to vomit?

(February 23, 2010)

Even when the baby is inside the mother’s womb the teeth start forming beneath the gums. Teeth are very important to help one chew their food, for talking and for forming a smile. Teething can be defined as the process by which an infant’s teeth start to appear either on an individual basis or in pairs. Generally teething begins around 6 months of age and continues till the child is about 3 years old. In some babies the first tooth can also appear within 3 months whereas for others the first tooth may not make its appearance till it is a year. Girls tend to teeth faster than boys. Teething patterns can also be hereditary. A child’s mental and physical condition has no relation with their teething process.

Teething can often cause restlessness, discomfort and irritability. As the root of each tooth grows it causes the edges of the tooth to push into the gums. Since the sensation is new and uncomfortable the child may get very disturbed. Some others signs include increased fretfulness accompanied by crying and even clingy behavior. The toddler may begin to dribble excessively and start to chew on all available surfaces including his or her own fingers and toes or on teething rings or any other objects. Some babies may also throw up as a result of teething. Toddler Vomiting can also be caused due to the excess saliva that is generated in the mouth.

Some of the ways to soothe the infant is to give them more breast milk or bottle feed. Sometimes this may be rejected due to the pain the child is feeling but more often than not the breast is soothing and helps to calm the child down. It is important to figure out if the child is vomiting because of the teething or if it may be related to some other illness. If the child has ingested some other object or food that is not easy to digest then this also may result in the child vomiting. Hence it is important to ascertain if the cause is some other external factor. At times an excessive ear ache can also result in vomiting and will need to be treated accordingly. If the child tugs a lot at his ear then this usually is an indication of an ear ache. Remember to give the baby plenty of fluid to drink to avoid dehydration. You can also give the child foods like crackers or fruits like bananas as these foods normally do not cause vomiting.

Submitted by P T on February 23, 2010 at 10:27