Toddler sleep concerns: teething

If your toddler is teething it could be the reason they’re having trouble sleeping. Teething pain can prevent your child from getting to sleep and can also make them wake during the night. But it can be difficult to tell if teething is the reason for your toddler’s sleep problems, especially when they might have other things going on that could also be the cause. Here’s how to tell if teething is disturbing your toddler’s sleep and what you can do to help them.

My toddler is suddenly waking up crying at night. Could the problem be teething?

Possibly. Your toddler may wake up crying for a few reasons, such as separation anxiety, nightmares or night terrors (NHS 2018a, NHS 2018b). However, if they’re teething you'll probably also see at least one of these signs:

• red, tender gums
• mild fever (38C)
• flushed cheek or cheeks. They will usually have one red cheek on the side the tooth is coming through
• rash on their face
• ear-rubbing
• drooling or dribbling
• frequent chewing or biting
• general irritability (NHS 2019)

At what age is teething likely to disturb my toddler’s sleep?

The painful symptoms of teething are usually worse as the back teeth (molars) erupt between 12 months and 19 months. They're bigger than your toddler's first teeth, so it can be quite painful for them when they start to grow (Frank 2018).

Your toddler's canine teeth are likely to come through at about 16 months to 23 months, and shouldn't cause too much trouble. But the second molars, which generally come through between 20 months and 33 months, can cause another spell of night-time waking.

How can I help my teething toddler sleep better?

Although it's not always easy, stick to your regular bedtime routine as closely as possible. If you change the rules, even for a short time, your toddler may have trouble getting back on track when they’ve finished teething (Stephens 2021).

When your toddler wakes in the night, give them a few minutes to see if they’ll nod off again on their own. Otherwise, provide cuddles and soothing words, but encourage them to stay in their own bed and try to go back to sleep.

If your toddler's teeth are bothering them too much to settle, there are a number of things you can try:

• massage their gums with a clean finger
• give them a cool (not frozen) teething ring or flannel to chew on
• offer a drink of cool water
• use a teething gel designed for infants
• give the correct dose of infant paracetamol or ibuprofen (NHS 2022)

If your toddler has diarrhoea that doesn’t go away after a week (NHS 2020a), a fever that doesn’t come down with paracetamol or ibuprofen (NHS 2020b), an unexplained rash (NHS 2021), or any other signs of illness, talk to your GP for advice.

Read more about toddler teething, and how to ease the distress.

More on sleep problems in toddlers:

• Why does my toddler get up so early?
• Why is my toddler waking in the night?
• Is over-stimulation affecting my toddler’s sleep?