Teething doesn’t directly cause diarrhea, but it can introduce more germs into a baby’s body and increase salivation, which can dilute nutrients and hinder digestive enzymes. Proper diet can alleviate digestive problems, and other symptoms of teething include irritability, drooling, and gum swelling.
There is no scientifically proven causal link between teething and diarrhea. Certain events that occur during the teething period in a baby’s life can lead to diarrhea. These include a drop in immunity once boosted from being in the womb, an increase in the number of germs introduced into the body due to objects being placed in the mouth, and increased salivation.
Babies receive strong immune benefits when in the womb. By the time they are teething, most of this immunity is gone. While this doesn’t indicate a direct connection between teething and diarrhea, the two can occur over a similar period of time.
To ease the pain of growing teeth, babies also tend to put more objects in their mouths while teething. This introduces more and more germs into their bodies. These can lead to diseases that cause diarrhea.
Profuse salivation is a common symptom of teething. It is possible that the increased amount of saliva that passes through the baby’s mouth could dilute nutrients and increase the amount of acid entering the stomach. These elements combined can hinder the effectiveness of digestive enzymes, and the added liquid could speed the progress of stool through the intestines.
Because teething and diarrhea aren’t directly linked, excessive watery stools shouldn’t automatically be eliminated as part of the teeth-cutting process. Even though diarrhea appears to be related to teething, it’s important to rule out other illnesses, such as a virus. If a child has more than six to eight loose stools a day or is vomiting, a doctor should be consulted as soon as possible.
When a baby experiences teething and diarrhea at the same time, digestive problems can usually be alleviated with proper diet. Foods such as applesauce, rice cereal, carrots and blueberries do not irritate the gastrointestinal system. Small amounts of water can help rehydrate your baby. Chamomile tea served in a bottle can also soothe a baby’s digestive system, although it shouldn’t be given without first consulting a doctor. Fruits such as prunes, apricots, peaches and pears and fruit juices should be avoided.
There are several symptoms that more specifically indicate teething. These include increased irritability, profuse drooling and a slight temperature. Teething babies may also experience swelling of the gums and increased wakefulness at night due to the discomfort. Some babies even bite more when teething.
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