Under usual circumstances, the teeth erupt without disturbance.  However, it is not abnormal for teething to be accompanied by fretfulness.  It must be kept in mind that these same symptoms may represent the onset of an illness; i.e., sore throat, cold, etc. and these should be considered in deciding why the child is fussy.  Teething does not cause fever, and children who have a temperature are likely to have an infection, even if they are teething.  Discomfort from teething can be treated with acetaminophen.  We do not recommend teething lotions and powders.  The use of knobby rubber or plastic teething toys are helpful, and a very comforting trick is to give the baby a cold, rough terry washcloth to chew on.  Keep 4 to 5 damp clean cloths in a plastic bag on the coldest shelf of your refrigerator and give him a fresh cold one periodically.