Drool rash is skin irritation around a baby’s mouth, chin, cheeks, neck folds or chest that develops when saliva keeps the skin wet for a long time, and it usually improves with gentle drying, a barrier ointment and less time spent wet.
Drool rash shows up as red, chapped or bumpy patches wherever saliva runs and sits. It is very common in the drooly months of babyhood, it is not contagious, and most of the fix happens at home with a soft cloth and a simple ointment.
Below: what it looks like, why it starts even before teeth, a home routine, how it compares with other face rashes, and when to call your pediatrician.
Key Takeaways
Drool rash is irritation from saliva sitting on the skin, usually on the mouth, chin, cheeks, neck folds and chest.
Drooling often peaks around 3 to 6 months and can start before teething.
Rinse with warm water, pat dry, then add a thin layer of petroleum jelly or similar healing ointment.
Teething does not cause fever, so a rash with fever needs a call to your pediatrician.
Call if there is no improvement in about a week, or for cracking, pain, blisters, crusting or spreading.
Table of Contents
What Is Drool Rash? The Short Answer
Quick Answer
Drool rash is skin irritation that develops when saliva keeps a baby’s skin wet for a long time. Scripps Health describes it as usually affecting the mouth, chin, cheeks and neck, with flat or slightly raised patches that may have small red bumps or look chapped and dry. It is not contagious. Gentle drying and a barrier of healing ointment such as petroleum jelly usually help. Call your pediatrician if it has not improved after about a week, or sooner if it cracks, hurts or comes with fever.
Saliva is not harmful on its own. Drooling keeps the mouth moist, helps with swallowing, softens solid food, washes away food residue and helps protect new teeth, as Scripps Health pediatric guidance explains. The trouble starts when that saliva sits on the skin hour after hour.
The AAP symptom checker on HealthyChildren.org adds a detail many parents never hear: drool contains little bits of food that irritate the skin.
What It Looks Like and Where It Shows Up
Drool rash follows the path saliva takes: out of the mouth, down the chin and into the neck folds. Here is where to look:
Mouth and chin: especially if your baby uses a pacifier or chews on hands and toys.
Cheeks: where drool smears when your baby rubs a wet face on your shoulder or their hands.
Neck folds: saliva pools in the creases. Scripps Health says to check them when you blot drool.
Chest: a soaked shirt or bib keeps the upper chest wet; Scripps Health suggests checking here too.
Color is not the only clue: patches that feel rough or dry, or seem to bother your baby when wiped, are worth treating on any skin tone.
If your rash flared while a tooth was coming in, our teething rash guide goes deeper on that situation.
Common Causes: Why Saliva Irritates Skin
The direct cause is skin that stays wet with saliva, which then gets rubbed and dried over and over. Several everyday things make that more likely:
Teething: Scripps Health notes that hands or a teething ring in the mouth cause saliva to drip onto the face. MedlinePlus advises wiping drool away to prevent rashes. For timing, see when babies start teething.
Pacifiers: Scripps Health says a pacifier can keep the skin around the mouth wet. Read more in can babies sleep with a pacifier.
Food residue: drool contains little bits of food that irritate the skin (AAP HealthyChildren symptom checker). See our starting solids guide covers the early feeding months.
Rubbing: Scripps Health warns that rubbing or a rough towel can further aggravate the skin.
Fragrance: Scripps Health recommends fragrance-free wash, lotion and detergent, and no perfume or essential oils around your baby.
When Does Drooling Peak? A Timeline by Age
Drooling often starts well before the first tooth. Scripps Health explains that salivary glands develop at 2 to 3 months, so babies can drool before teething, and that drooling often peaks around 3 to 6 months. MedlinePlus says teething usually starts around 6 to 8 months, so a drooly 3 month old is not necessarily teething.
Age
What is often happening
What it means for the skin
2 to 3 months
Salivary glands develop (Scripps Health)
Drooling may start before any teeth
3 to 6 months
Drooling often peaks (Scripps Health)
A common window for chin and neck fold irritation
6 to 8 months
Teething usually starts (MedlinePlus)
Hands and teethers in the mouth spread more saliva
6 to 24 months
Baby teeth usually come in (AAP HealthyChildren)
Flares can return with new teeth and new foods
By about 30 months
Most children have all 20 baby teeth (MedlinePlus)
Teething-related drool usually winds down
Typical drooling and teething timeline, by source. Every baby is different.
Because drooling and teething overlap for many months, drool rash can come and go for a long stretch.
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This routine follows the pediatrician guidance published by Scripps Health:
1. Rinse with warm water: wash the area gently with warm water twice a day. Warm water is usually enough; skip medicated soap.
2. Pat, do not rub: dry the skin by patting with a soft cloth. Avoid rough or abrasive towels.
3. Add a barrier: once the skin is fully dry, apply a thin layer of a healing ointment such as petroleum jelly over the dry skin. Scripps Health suggests talking to your doctor before using new products near the mouth.
4. Keep products plain: use only a mild, fragrance-free baby wash, and keep any lotion unscented. Scripps Health says nothing but healing ointment should go on the rash itself.
5. Wash fabrics gently: launder bibs, burp cloths, clothes, sheets and towels in a mild, unscented detergent.
A practical rhythm is to reapply after each rinse and after meals, always on clean, fully dry skin.
Scripps Health says to call if the rash has not improved after about a week, or if it is cracked or painful. Your pediatrician may suggest an over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream or prescribe one; ask before using any medicated cream on your baby’s face.
Prevention: Small Habits That Help
You cannot stop drooling, but you can shorten the time saliva sits on the skin. Scripps Health lists four habits:
Blot gently and often: use a clean, dry, soft burp cloth to blot drool, especially after feedings and naps. Dab rather than wipe.
Use a bib, and change it: swap it for a dry one as soon as it gets damp. Take the bib off before you lay your baby down to sleep, since a baby’s sleep space should be bare.
Clean up after meals: remove food residue from the face and mouth with warm water, then pat dry.
If teething discomfort is affecting nights, see our guide to teething and sleep.
Safe sleep still comes first. Babies under 12 months should sleep alone, on their back, on a firm, flat, bare surface, with no pillows, blankets or towels placed under the face to catch drool.
What Not to Do
Do not scrub: Scripps Health warns that rubbing and rough towels further aggravate the skin.
Do not over-wash: Scripps Health advises against washing too often or using medicated soap.
Do not layer scented products: no perfumed lotions, scented wipes or essential oils on or near the rash (Scripps Health).
Do not start steroid creams on the face on your own: a pediatrician may recommend hydrocortisone for a stubborn drool rash, but Children’s Mercy Kansas City notes steroids are an important trigger of periorificial dermatitis, a different rash around the mouth, nose and eyes. Let your pediatrician decide.
Do not use teething gels or teething necklaces: the AAP says most teething gels contain benzocaine, not approved by the FDA at any age, and that necklaces pose choking risks and risk of death. MedlinePlus says gels are only for children 2 years and older, used sparingly. The sources differ on gels, so ask your pediatrician first.
Do not assume every rash is drool: a rash with fever, blisters, honey-colored crusts or spread beyond the drool zone needs a call (see below).
Is It Drool or Something Else? Teething Rash, Eczema, Hand, Foot and Mouth and More
Several face rashes look alike. This table lists features described by primary sources to help you describe what you see to your pediatrician. It is not a diagnostic tool.
Rash
Where it usually shows up
Features described by the source
Source
Drool rash
Mouth, chin, cheeks, neck; neck folds and chest
Flat or slightly raised patches, small red bumps, or chapped and dry skin; not contagious
Scripps Health
Teething rash
Face, where drool runs
The same drool irritation during teething; drool contains bits of food that irritate skin
AAP HealthyChildren
Eczema (atopic dermatitis)
Scalp and face, especially chin and cheeks; may spread; diaper area rarely involved
Dry, scaly, itchy skin that tends to weep on the cheeks; can start at 2 to 3 months; babies may rub to relieve itch
CHOP
Hand, foot and mouth disease
Inside the mouth and tongue; palms, soles, buttocks, legs, arms
Fever and feeling unwell first; small red spots in the mouth that blister; flat or slightly raised red spots, sometimes blistered, usually not itchy; more drooling than usual
CDC
Impetigo
Exposed skin, especially around the mouth and nose, arms, legs
Red, itchy sores that break open and leak, then form a crusty yellow, honey-colored scab; contagious; needs antibiotics
CDC
Periorificial (perioral) dermatitis
Around the mouth, nose and eyes; usually spares the lip border
Clustered red or pink small bumps and tiny pustules; steroid creams are a common trigger
Children’s Mercy Kansas City
Food allergy (hives)
Can be all over, often with face swelling
Raised pink bumps with pale centers, usually starting soon after eating; may come with vomiting or trouble breathing
AAP HealthyChildren
Comparing common face and mouth rashes, by source. Your pediatrician makes the diagnosis.
Drool rash vs eczema. Both can sit on the chin and cheeks. Per CHOP, eczema tends to be itchy, dry and scaly and may spread to the scalp and beyond. Drool rash usually stays where saliva goes. If the rash is very itchy or spreading, ask your pediatrician.
Fever, blisters or crusts change the picture. Hand, foot and mouth disease can make a child drool more because swallowing hurts (CDC), and impetigo’s honey-colored crusts need antibiotics. Either is a reason to call rather than treat at home.
Drool rash vs baby acne. Bumps on a young baby’s face can also be baby acne, which is handled differently; see our baby acne guide for that comparison.
Can Teething Cause a Fever or Other Symptoms?
The AAP symptom checker on HealthyChildren.org is clear: teething does not cause fever, diarrhea, diaper rash or runny nose,. MedlinePlus agrees that teething does not cause fever or diarrhea.
The AAP explains why this matters: blaming teething for fevers can lead to a delay in seeking care for infections such as ear infections, urinary tract infections or meningitis. It also notes that infections often start between 6 and 12 months, the same age teeth are arriving.
What teething does cause, according to the AAP, is increased drooling, chewing and mild gum pain. A red chin plus a fever means calling about the fever. If you are caring for a sick baby at night, our guide to baby sleep when sick may help.
Call any time you are worried or unsure, and especially if:
No improvement after about a week: of gentle home care, or the rash is cracked or painful (Scripps Health).
Fever: a rash with fever, tiredness, or trouble breathing or swallowing needs to be seen sooner (Scripps Health). Teething does not cause fever, so do not blame it on a tooth (AAP).
Blisters or mouth sores: especially with fever, poor drinking or spots on the hands and feet. The CDC advises seeing a provider if a child cannot drink well, has a fever lasting longer than 3 days, or is very young, especially under 6 months.
Honey-colored crusts or oozing sores: which the CDC describes as typical of impetigo, a contagious infection treated with antibiotics.
Spreading, very itchy or weepy skin: beyond the drool zone, which can point to eczema or another rash (CHOP).
Hives or swelling after eating: the AAP symptom checker lists hives all over and facial swelling as the most common food allergy symptoms.
Your baby looks or acts very sick: the AAP symptom checker says to seek care now. Also call if your baby is not feeding or seems to be getting worse.
Call 911 if your child has trouble breathing or wheezing, a sudden hoarse voice or cough, or sudden trouble swallowing or new drooling with slurred speech, which the AAP lists as emergency signs of a serious allergic reaction. This article is general education, not medical advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does drool rash look like?
Scripps Health describes drool rash as flat or slightly raised patches around the mouth, chin, cheeks and neck that may have small red bumps or look chapped and dry. Check the neck folds and chest too, since saliva collects there.
How do you get rid of drool rash fast?
Rinse the area with warm water twice a day, pat it dry with a soft cloth, and once it is fully dry apply a thin layer of a healing ointment such as petroleum jelly. Keep a dry bib on, blot drool after feeds and naps, and use only fragrance-free products. Call if it is not better in about a week.
Is drool rash the same as teething rash?
Teething rash is drool rash that happens during teething. Drool rash is the broader term: saliva can irritate the skin before any teeth arrive, since drooling often starts at 2 to 3 months, and pacifiers and food residue can also keep skin wet. The care routine is the same for both.
How long does drool rash last?
How long it lasts varies, and it can come back while a baby is drooling heavily or a new tooth is arriving. Scripps Health advises calling your pediatrician if the rash has not improved after about a week of home care, or if it becomes cracked or painful at any point.
Can drool rash spread to the neck and chest?
Yes. Saliva runs down into the neck folds and soaks shirts and bibs, so drool rash can appear on the neck and upper chest as well as the chin and cheeks. Scripps Health recommends checking the neck folds and chest when you blot drool and swapping damp bibs for dry ones.
Can teething cause a fever with a rash?
No. The American Academy of Pediatrics says teething does not cause fever, diarrhea, diaper rash or runny nose. A rash with fever can have another cause, such as an infection, and blaming teething can delay care. Call your pediatrician if your baby has a fever along with a rash.
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