What’s the connection between teething and diaper rash? Or is it a common misconception that teething can lead to diaper rash? In this article, we’ll explore the symptoms of teething, the causes of diaper rash, and how to help prevent rashes in your baby’s diaper area.
What Is Teething?
Teething is the process during which an infant’s primary teeth, also known as baby teeth, emerge through the gums. This typically begins between 6 and 12 months of age, but the timing can vary for each child.
Symptoms of Teething Associated with Diaper Rash
Contrary to common belief, diaper rash is not a symptom of teething. It’s commonly believed that increased drooling during teething can cause babies to swallow excess saliva, leading to diarrhea, which in turn, increases the risk of diaper rash due to prolonged moisture and irritation on the skin. However, if your baby is experiencing loose stools while teething, it may be a symptom of something else.
The common signs of teething include:
increased drooling
a desire to chew on objects
irritability
tender or swollen gums.
Some babies may experience mild discomfort, while others might have little to no noticeable symptoms. You can learn more about the symptoms of teething and the typical teething timeline in our dedicated article.
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As we mentioned above, it’s not likely that your baby’s diaper rash is caused by teething. The direct link between the two is not well-established. However, it’s not uncommon for teething and diaper rash to coincide around the same time in your baby’s development.
So, if not teething, then what does cause diaper rash? There are 4 main causes of diaper rash. These are:
Mess on Skin. Sitting in a soiled diaper and being exposed to urine or stool for long periods can disrupt the skin’s pH. Diarrhea can also bring the skin into frequent contact with loose stools.
Increased pH. Enzymes found in stool can increase the skin’s pH level, leading to skin irritation and redness as they break down the protective lipids and proteins in the skin.
Overhydration. Extended periods of wetness in the diapered area can lead to overhydrated skin, which is more easily damaged, prone to chaffing, and leads to an increase in microbial growth.
Friction. A tight-fitting diaper or tight clothing that causes chaffing or rubbing.
Other causes of rash in the diaper area include bacterial, yeast, or viral infections, allergic reactions to new products, and improper diaper fit.
What Does Teething Diaper Rash Look Like?
While teething is unlikely to cause your baby's diaper rash, you may still want to know what diaper rash typically looks like. Some common symptoms include:
Red or brown bumps that may be harder to see on darker skin tones, along with larger areas of sensitive or irritated skin in the diaper area or in the folds of your baby's upper thighs.
Peeling, flaking, or scaly skin.
The affected area may appear puffy and tender, and feel warm to the touch.
Your baby may seem irritable or fussy.
Home Remedies for Diaper Rash from Teething?
While teething itself is not a direct cause of diaper rash, they may still occur around the same time as each other. If your little one has a diaper rash, keep the diaper area clean and dry, and use a diaper cream recommended by your healthcare provider. Diaper rash usually goes away after a few days.
To help prevent diaper rash in the future, follow these general care tips:
Change diapers frequently. Keep your baby’s skin dry by changing wet or soiled diapers as soon as possible.
Keep the diaper area clean and dry. Use alcohol-free and fragrance-free wipes with pH balancing ingredients, such as Pampers Sensitive Wipes. Pampers wipes are soft, strong, and gentle on sensitive skin, making them ideal for cleaning your little one thoroughly and keeping their skin free from stool and urine.
Let your baby’s skin breathe. Let your baby’s skin breathe with breathable diapers that promote airflow, reducing moisture and irritation while keeping them comfortable, even during tummy time.
Choose diapers with super-absorbent layers. Choose diapers that effectively pull moisture away from your baby’s skin to keep them dry and comfortable. Pampers Swaddlers protect against the four main causes of diaper rash. The Swaddlers Blowout Barrier and Dual Leak-Guard Barriers help prevent leaks, while the BreatheFree Liner and LockAway Channels lock away wetness and mess, ensuring dry and healthy skin. These features also allow your baby’s skin to breathe and reduce friction. Additionally, these diapers are gentle on delicate skin and have soft, stretchy sides that provide freedom of movement.
Find the right fitting diapers. A snug fit is important, but overly tight diapers can trap moisture and cause friction, leading to irritation.
If the diaper rash persists for more than a few days, worsens, or shows signs of infection (such as blisters, open sores, or pus), consult your healthcare provider for proper evaluation and treatment.
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FAQS AT A GLANCE
Teething does not directly cause diaper rash, so if your baby has diaper rash while teething, it's likely a coincidence. The main causes of diaper rash are overhydration, stool contact, increased skin pH, and friction.
To help prevent diaper rash, ensure you change your baby’s diapers frequently, keep the diaper area clean and dry, and use absorbent and breathable diapers that fit your baby well, like Pampers Swaddlers.
While teething itself does not cause diaper rash, you may still notice the two around the same time. To treat diaper rash during teething, keep the diaper area clean and dry and apply a diaper cream recommended by your healthcare provider.
Diaper rash is not caused by teething. However, you might still notice both teething and diaper rash around the same period. This is likely a coincidence. Changing your baby’s diapers frequently, keeping the skin clean and dry, and using breathable and absorbent diapers that fit well can help prevent diaper rash during this period.
The Bottom Line
It’s a common misconception that teething causes diaper rash; however, you might notice both around the same time. It’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the symptoms of teething, as well as the causes and symptoms of diaper rash to find the best remedies for your little one.
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American Academy of Pediatrics. Caring for Your Baby and Young Child: Birth to Age 5, 7th ed. (New York: Bantam Books, 2019).
The information in this article is based on the expert advice found in trusted medical and government sources, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. You can find a full list of sources used for this article below. The content on this page should not replace professional medical advice. Always consult medical professionals for full diagnosis and treatment.
About Christopher B. Peltier
Pediatrician at Pediatric Associates of Mount Carmel, Inc.; Cincinnati, OH
