Can Teething Cause Ear Infections: ENT Doc Explains
Posted by: ENT & Sleep Specialists in Uncategorized on July 18, 2024
Teething is a natural process that every infant goes through as their primary teeth begin to emerge, typically starting around 6 months of age. Parents often associate various symptoms with teething, such as irritability, drooling, and gum swelling. One common question that arises during this phase is whether teething can cause ear infections in children. Pediatrician Dr. Mansi Kotwal explains.
Can Teething Cause Ear Infections: Background
Ear infections are a prevalent childhood illness, often associated with fever, irritability, and difficulty sleeping. While it’s essential to understand the connection between teething and ear infections, it’s equally vital to identify the symptoms of ear infections and know when to seek medical intervention. Research has shown that some symptoms such as fever and pain might be related to teething, while other symptoms like ear infections need further investigation before attributing them to the teething process.
Can Teething Cause Ear Infections: No
Teething does not cause ear infections. Ear infections are a result of a bacterial superinfection of the inner ear. Baby ear infections happen when the baby gets a virus and this virus weakens the baby’s ear. This weakening leads to bacteria being able to then infect the site. This is how an ear infection happens.
Teething is a separate process. While anatomically a baby’s teeth and ears may not be very far from each other, teething has nothing to do with ear infections.
Anatomy Of Ear Infections
An ear infection, specifically an acute otitis media, occurs when fluid accumulates in the middle ear due to bacteria or viruses. This fluid buildup can cause pain and even temporary hearing loss. The critical structure involved in ear infections are the Eustachian tubes, which connect the middle ear to the back of the throat. These tiny tubes play a crucial role by allowing air to flow into the middle ear and draining fluid away to prevent infection. However, if these tubes become blocked, it can lead to an infection.
Teething Process Symptoms
Teething is a natural process in which a child’s teeth begin to erupt, typically starting when a baby is around six months old. Teething babies often experience discomfort, including gum pain, irritability, and sometimes even a mild fever. Some common signs of teething are increased drooling, a child gnawing on fingers or toys, and a new tooth visible below the gum line.
While the teething process and ear infections appear to be distinct, there is often confusion among parents, who may mistakenly attribute ear pain in their child to teething. This confusion may stem from the fact that both teething and ear infections involve pain in the area around the child’s ears. However, studies have shown that there is no direct correlation between teething and ear infections.
If your child displays ear pain alongside other symptoms of an ear infection, such as fever, temporary hearing loss, or discharge from the ear canal, it is essential to consult a healthcare professional promptly. It is crucial to keep a close eye on your baby’s symptoms and not overlook the potential for bacterial infections when considering the possibility of teething.
Ear Infection Symptoms
Ear infections can be quite common in young children, and recognizing the symptoms of an ear infection is essential for providing proper care. Some common signs of ear infections in young children may include:
- Ear pulling or tugging
- Irritability or fussiness
- Difficulty sleeping
- Fever
- Fluid draining from the ear
- Difficulty hearing or responding to sounds
These symptoms can also occur in older children but may present differently, such as complaints of ear pain or a feeling of fullness in their ear. If your child is experiencing a lot of ear infections or severe symptoms, it is crucial to seek medical advice as soon as possible. Treatment may involve prescribed medications, over-the-counter pain relievers, and other recommended remedies.
Can Teething Cause Ear Infections: Why Is It Challenging To Know
While teething does not cause ear infections, certainly children can be teething at the same time they have an ear infection. This can make it challenging to figure out if their discomfort is from their teething or something more like an infectin.
Ear Infection Or Teething Discomfort?
Teething discomfort can sometimes be confused with the discomfort of an ear infection. In both the cases of teething or ear infection a child’s symptoms can be difficult to figure out.
Children with either can experience trouble sleeping, have pain and be generally uncomfortable. The best way to know for sure is to have your child be examined by a doctor. This way any severe infection can be treated and your child’s health is optimized.
Key Differences
A few clues can help differentiate between an infection of the middle ear and teething. For example, teething typically does not cause a high fever or produce fluid drainage from the ear.
Teething is more associated with drooling and tender gums.
Should you suspect a baby’s ear infection, a ruptured eardrum, or a more severe condition like swimmer’s ear, it is vital to consult a healthcare professional. The use of antibiotics may be needed to treat both a middle-ear infection or external ear infections.
Age-Related Susceptibility
Ear infections are more common in younger children, especially between their second and third birthdays3. One reason is that their immune systems are still developing and are more prone to infections. As a child grows older, their ears and immune system become stronger, potentially leading to fewer infections.
Back teeth, which emerge between the ages of 1-2 years, can cause increased discomfort and can also contribute to the likelihood of infection. It is essential to monitor these teeth during the teething process to ensure that no other complications arise.
In conclusion, recognizing the difference between teething and ear infections is crucial. Maintaining a clean and healthy environment and understanding age-related susceptibility will help in minimizing the risk of infections in children.
When to See a Doctor
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, it is important to monitor unexplained fevers because it could be from a child’s ear infection. It is a good idea to seek medical treatment rather than relying on home remedies that have no evidence of working against ear infections.
A health care provider like an ENT doctor can look inside the ear to see if they see a sure sign of an ear infection like fluid. Antibiotics may be needed. Furthermore, if your child has a history of frequent ear infections, you should tell your ENT doctor or healthcare provider. Ear tube surgery may be needed for certain patients.
What Causes Ear Infections In Kids?
Ear infections in kids are often caused by bacteria or viruses that lead to inflammation and fluid build-up in the middle ear. Here are some of the most common reasons that can lead to an ear infection.
Colds And Respiratory Infections
Upper respiratory infections like the common cold can cause inflammation and swelling of the nasal passages, throat, and eustachian tubes, leading to fluid accumulation in the middle ear. These are very common causes of ear infections.
Eustachian Tube Dysfunction
The eustachian tubes connect the middle ear to the back of the throat and help equalize ear pressure. In children, these tubes are shorter, more horizontal, and narrower, making them more prone to blockages.
Bacterial Infections
Bacteria such as Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae can infect the middle ear, causing acute otitis media.
Viral Infections
Viruses, including those causing colds and the flu, can also lead to ear infections.
Allergies
Allergic reactions can cause swelling and congestion in the nasal passages and eustachian tubes, leading to fluid build-up and infection.
Environmental Factors
Exposure to cigarette smoke, high altitude, and cold weather can increase the risk of ear infections.
Genetic Factors
Some children may be more prone to ear infections due to inherited traits that affect the structure and function of their eustachian tubes.
Daycare Attendance
Children in group childcare settings are more likely to get respiratory infections, which can lead to ear infections.
Signs Of An Ear Infection
During an exam the ENT will look at the appearance of the tympanic membrane (eardrum) with an otoscope. Key signs of an inner ear infection include the following:
- Redness and Inflammation: The eardrum may appear red and swollen, indicating infection and inflammation in the middle ear.
- Bulging Eardrum: The presence of fluid behind the eardrum can cause it to bulge outward. This bulging is a clear sign of fluid accumulation and pressure in the middle ear.
- Decreased Eardrum Mobility: Using a pneumatic otoscope, the doctor can gently puff air against the eardrum to see how well it moves. A normal eardrum moves easily, but an infected one with fluid behind it will not move as well.
- Fluid Behind the Eardrum: The doctor might see fluid, which could be clear, yellow, or even bloody, behind the eardrum.
- Air Bubbles or Pus: Visible air bubbles or pus behind the eardrum are strong indicators of an infection.
Can Teething Cause Ear Infections: Summary
Teething does not cause ear infections. Middle ear infections (acute otitis media) are caused by bacteria or viruses that lead to fluid build-up in the middle ear, often following an upper respiratory infection. Symptoms of a middle ear infection include fever, fluid draining from the ear, ear pain, and trouble hearing, while teething causes gum swelling, drooling, and chewing on objects. If a child has fever lasting more than a couple of days, fluid draining from the ear, trouble hearing, or severe ear pain, it’s important to see a child’s doctor.
Risk factors for ear infections include bottle feeding in a lying down position, daycare attendance, exposure to cigarette smoke, family history, and not being breastfed. Treatment options include antibiotics, warm compresses, over-the-counter pain medications, and keeping the child in an upright position. The best treatment for your child is best determined by an expert ENT doctor.
In rare cases, ear tubes may be necessary. Most children outgrow ear infections by 3 years of life. By their third birthday, their ears and immune systems have developed much more. According to the National Institutes of Health, understanding symptoms and seeking timely medical care is the best approach.
