Six months is about the age at which babies start growing teeth, but there is every chance that a baby might start growing teeth earlier than this age. The first teeth that appear are usually the bottom incisors, which are quickly followed by the top incisors. Teething can become extremely difficult for both babies and parents to deal with due to the accompanying symptoms like tears, excessive drooling, and irritation. The following teething remedies can help you in providing your child with the relief that he needs from the pain that he has in his gums.
Six Natural Teething Remedies
1. Gum Massage
Massaging the gums of the child is one way of easing some of his gum pain. You can make use of your fingers for this purpose, but make sure that they are clean. You can also use a washcloth or moistened gauze for the gum massage. When massaging the gums of your child with either your finger or gauze, try to put pressure on them as it can help in reliving the baby’s pain.
2. Teething Toys
Giving the child a teething toy to play with is another way of relieving gum teething pain. However, make sure that the teething toy is made of a firm piece of rubber so that it does not break when the baby starts chewing on it. Some babies like having bottles in their mouth instead of teething toys. If your child is one of them, then giving him a water-filled bottle to chew upon is the best way of alleviating his discomfort.
3. Chilled Things
Chilled teething rings can prove to be extremely useful for reducing gum pain in babies. The low temperature of these chilled teething rings can have a soothing effect on the gums of the child, and he is going to get instant relief from the pain that he has been having. However, make sure that the chilled teething rings are not frozen, since contact with iced teething rings can cause damage to the gums.
4. Hard Foods
At six months, most babies start eating solid foods, so it is a good idea to give your child a hard edible object to chew upon when he starts having teething problems. Hard foods such as bite sized pieces of carrot or cucumber are perfect for this purpose, as chewing them can provide the child relief from his gum pain. Stay close to your child when he is munching on hard foods as there is a chance that he might swallow it without chewing it properly and end up choking on it.
5. Dry the Drool
Drooling is bound to happen when a child is growing his teeth. This drool can irritate the skin of the baby if it is allowed to stay on the skin for a long period of time. Thus, it is best to keep on wiping off this drool from your baby’s chin and mouth from time to time. Do remember to make use of a clean cloth for doing this.
6. Breastfeed
It has been observed that a child growing teeth wants to be fed more often than normal. Studies have shown that babies feel less pain when they are being breastfed. Thus, if you want to ease the pain of your baby during teething, then increase his breastfeeds. It will also prevent your child from developing malocclusion in future as well, since breastfeeding has been known for aligning the teeth of babies in the right manner.
To learn more about natural teething remedies, watch the video below:
Over-The-Counter Remedies for Teething
1. Topical Medication
Topical medications like anesthetic gels and creams are considered by many parents as the ideal solution for relieving the gum pain experienced by teething babies. They can be easily bought from drugstores and can numb the gums of the child, thus easing his pain. However, it is important to note that some of these topical medications contain Benzocaine, which may cause a serious medical condition in babies known as methemoglobinemia. Thus, it is crucial that only topical medications that do not contain Benzocaine should be used for teething kids. Moreover, it is also important that these medications should not be overused since they can be swallowed by children and pose the risk of numbing their gag reflux, leaving them vulnerable to choking hazards.
2. Painkillers
Painkillers are another option that can be used for dissipating the discomfort and pain felt by a baby during teething. For children under the age of three months, acetaminophen is a good painkiller to use. However, it is best that you give this over-the-counter drug only after consulting your doctor. For children older than six months, Ibuprofen can also be given for alleviating gum pain, but do keep in mind that ibuprofen can disrupt the baby’s digestive system and he might stop eating altogether. Do not give aspirin to your child under any circumstances, as it can cause Reye’s syndrome.
3. Homeopathic Remedies
Homeopathic tablets and drops, which are said to work by stimulating the natural healing mechanism of the body, are also among the remedies that can be used for easing teething pains. The homeopathic drops and tablets have their own potential side effects and thus have to be used very carefully. It is best to consult your doctor before giving your child any homeopathic remedy for his teething problems.
When to Call a Doctor
It is usually not really necessary to call a doctor during teething. Most of the symptoms of teething can be taken care of at home without encountering much trouble. However, if the discomfort of the child becomes uncontainable or he catches a fever, then it becomes necessary to consult the doctor immediately as it could be a sign of an illness and not a teething problem.