Why does teething cause ear infections

Meanwhile, there are a few things you can do to assess the situation. In general, teething is associated with mild symptoms. This is true for earaches associated with teething, too.

The ear discomfort does not worsen when it is a result of teething. If there is severe ear pain with extreme fussiness or if there is any discharge from the ear, it is time to call a doctor. A child with an ear infection also experiences increased pain on lying down.

The baby will usually refuse to lie down and your previously easy-sleeping baby will fuss while going to sleep. He may also show signs of a cold or cough. A fever above The pediatrician will monitor the ear infection to ensure that it does not progress or cause complications. If a bacterial agent is causing the infection, then antibiotics will be required. Pain is managed with painkillers, either over-the-counter or prescribed by your child's doctor.

But some long-standing or repeated ear infections can lead to hearing problems and problems with balance. If he has a fever and seems to be most uncomfortable lying down, it's more likely he has an ear infection, says Dr. Red, swollen gums are a sign of teething. In general, the symptoms of ear infections could describe a variety of illnesses — or a child who's just having a bad day: He might push his food away, have trouble sleeping, or cry more than usual.

But if your instincts tell you that there's something wrong, especially if your child has a fever, it makes sense to have your pediatrician take a look.

About 60 percent of ear infections are believed to be bacterial; the other 40 percent are sparked by viruses and can't be cured by antibiotics. Unfortunately, there's no way for your doc to tell from looking in your child's ear whether an infection is viral or bacterial. The main message to doctors: Hand out fewer unnecessary prescriptions for antibiotics, and give the body's immune system a chance — about two to three days — to fight off the infection on its own.

Studies have shown that approximately 80 percent of middle-ear infections in children go away without antibiotics in a week or so, and about 60 percent of kids have fewer symptoms after 24 hours, whether they take antibiotics or not.

It's also appropriate for kids over 2 without severe symptoms. During the waiting period, your pediatrician will probably suggest a pain reliever such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or anesthetic ear drops. If your child's symptoms don't improve, contact the doctor. Pediatricians typically refer a child to an otolaryngologist — an ear, nose, and throat specialist ENT — when he's had three infections in six months or four within a year, but this isn't set in stone. When an ENT examines your child, she'll discuss whether it's a good option to insert a tympanostomy tube most commonly in both ears to reduce the risk of infections and improve hearing.

Although there's no maximum or minimum age for tubes, children usually get them between 1 and 3 years old. With about , kids a year undergoing the procedure, it's the most common surgery with anesthesia performed on children.

The surgeon makes a tiny cut in the eardrum, suctions out the fluid, and then inserts a cylinder the length of an infant's pinkie nail into the hole to keep it open. It can be quite the learning process for parents. You'll most likely learn about ear infections and you'll definitely learn about teething. One you hope to avoid and one you hope has more teeth than tears. Both have similar symptoms. How can you tell them apart?

Can an ear infection affect their oral health as well? Can teething cause ear infections? These are good questions and we have helpful answers below. While teething occurs in your baby's oral cavity and an ear infection occurs in their ear, they both have similar symptoms. An ear infection is an infection of the middle ear, the air-filled area right behind the eardrum. They're quite prevalent in children, and common symptoms include:.

While you may not visibly see the ear infection, you should be able to notice red, swollen gums when your baby is teething. Other common signs of teething include:. Some of these symptoms overlap, but many differentiate one from the other. Trust your parental instinct and pinpoint those symptoms to recognize what your baby is experiencing. So teething and ear infection symptoms are similar.

But does one cause the other? Ear infections are typically bacterial infections. Teething is a natural developmental stage around the 8-month mark. There's no connection to each other. They just happen to occur during a similar window in your baby's lifetime.

Similar symptoms, close proximity, but that's it. Hopefully, you can avoid ear infections and tame the teething stage. Any parent knows the struggle of getting a baby to stop crying or to fall asleep. Enter the pacifier. The calming comfort it provides is extraordinary.