At my youngest son’s first birthday party, he was sporting a head of platinum blond hair, an adorable bright red henley and a drool rash that was almost red enough to match his shirt. More than one partygoer peppered me with questions about the flaming splotches across his chin: “Does he have hives? Is that impetigo? Do you think he has eczema?”

No, I answered more than once—it’s just a drool rash. At 12 months, my son was cutting more than one tooth and he had the red, irritated skin under his mouth to show for it. Although he looked like he’d been struck down by some awful skin disease, a drool rash (also commonly called a teething rash) is mostly harmless and extremely common in young children—especially if they have sensitive skin.

If your baby or toddler is sprouting new teeth and has a similar rash under or around their mouth or chin, the two things are most likely related. Here’s what to know about a drool or teething rash, along with what you can do to prevent and treat it.

In this article:
What is a drool rash?
What does drool rash look like?
Drool rash treatment
Can you prevent drool rash?
When to reach out to baby’s pediatrician
Frequently asked questions

What Is Drool Rash?

Drool rash is any type of skin irritation or contact dermatitis caused by drool or saliva. When drool comes into frequent contact with the skin, it can result in inflammation which leads to redness, dryness, or even a noticeable rash under or around the mouth and chin. Sometimes this is caused by teething, but not always; a baby’s salivary glands start working around 2 months of age, according to UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals, which can cause an increase in drool not related to teething.

Basically, a drool rash is related to baby’s overall growth and development, which includes teething but also age-related changes and their budding interest in solid foods. In fact, you may notice an increase in drool—and see the first signs of a drool rash—around the four-month mark, says pediatrician Ilan Shapiro, MD, FAAP, chief health correspondent and medical affairs officer for AltaMed Health Services; this is right around the time baby is getting ready to have something other than breast milk or formula.

“As infants grow, their body starts preparing to ingest solids,” says Shapiro, “and saliva is a crucial part of eating solids because it helps start the process of digestion and also helps make sure the food gets to our stomach.”

However, in order to help us break down foods, that saliva has to contain enzymes, including one called ptyalin. This can make saliva irritating to baby’s skin, and the excess amount of it produced at this stage can lead to drool rash and inflammation.

Is drool rash and teething rash the same?

Both terms refer to the same redness, irritation and inflammation around and under the mouth or chin caused by an increase in saliva. Teething rash is just a more specific term that places the blame on new teeth coming in rather than an increase in saliva caused by developmental changes as baby grows.

What Does Drool Rash Look Like?

Early signs of drool rash often appear as dryness, says Shapiro, followed by red spots or patches. Drool rash can also look like:

Chapped skin
Flat or slightly raised patches
Tiny reddish-colored bumps
Flaking or scaling
Itching

All of the skin around the mouth is fair game for a budding drool rash, and so are the cheeks, the chin and even the neck and upper chest (depending on just how much drool baby is making!).

Drool rash pictures

Below is an example of what a drool or teething rash might look like. Keep in mind it might be milder or more severe.

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Drool Rash Treatment

Drool rash treatment basically involves two steps, says Shapiro: keeping the skin dry and protecting it with a barrier cream.

Start by changing baby’s clothes and bibs when they’re soaked through, and making the best effort you can to remove saliva from their skin during the day. You won’t be able to keep them 100 percent dry all the time, especially if baby is drooling a lot! Just do what you can.

Be sure to pat their skin dry rather than rub or wipe it, because patting is much gentler on damaged skin. Also clean the affected areas with warm water after eating.

Meanwhile, invest in what’s called a barrier cream and get in the habit of applying it frequently throughout the day and before bedtime. Dr. Shapiro says products like petroleum jelly (Vaseline), Aquaphor and other types of heavy ointments create a barrier between saliva and baby’s skin, keeping it from drying out and protecting it from the harsh enzymes in saliva.

Optionally, you may want to switch to hypoallergenic baby soaps, lotions and laundry detergents, since these come into direct contact with baby’s skin and could contain irritating fragrances or other ingredients that worsen already-inflamed skin.

If this sounds a lot like the treatment for diaper rash, you’re not wrong: a frequently-wet bottom irritated by stool and urine is prone to rashes for similar reasons! Basically, parents with experience treating diaper rash can follow a similar protocol when treating drool rash.

Can You Prevent Drool Rash?

You can try! Unfortunately, some kids will have a drool rash for most of the time they’re teething simply because their skin is more sensitive (and it’s hard to keep up with teething rash treatments when your child suddenly cuts four teeth in one week!).

Since one of the biggest causes of drool rash is the combination of wet, vulnerable skin and exposure to the enzymes in saliva, the main prevention strategy is to protect the skin before it becomes irritated.

You can do this by frequently applying one of those thick barrier creams, says Gina Posner, MD, pediatrician at MemorialCare Medical Group in Fountain Valley, California. This helps seal and protect baby’s skin.

When to Reach out to Baby’s Pediatrician

While a drool rash is typically not harmful or complicated, damaged and inflamed skin is always more prone to infection than healthy skin.

“The moment there’s saliva on the skin, it can start breaking the barrier,” says Shapiro. “That barrier can be penetrated by bacteria and lead to an infection.”

Keep an eye out for any signs of crusting, weeping or oozing where your child has a drool rash; this could signal a bacterial infection, such as impetigo, or a fungal one, like candidiasis (yeast). Shapiro says any drool rash that looks infected or that simply doesn’t go away with at-home treatments should be evaluated by a healthcare professional.

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Plus, more from The Bump:

The Truth About the Safety of Amber Teething Necklaces

Everything You Need to Know About Baby Grinding Their Teeth

Toddler Teething: What Are the 2 Year Molars?