Home Teething Remedies: Breaking Through the Pain Barrier

Any parent who has had a baby teething knows what a pain it can be. The crying, the irritability, the sleepless nights -- and that's just the parents! When your baby is teething, a little teething pain is to be expected. But as a parent, you'll do everything you can to relieve baby teething pain.

When researching teething remedies, you want to make sure they're safe and effective. Follow these tips for teething relief, or your baby can really give you something to cry about!

There are several teething remedies available to give your baby teething relief. This can be done with household items, or you can purchase several types of over-the-counter products marketed towards relieving teething pain.

Here are some tips to help soothe your teething baby:

Massage your baby's gums. Applying gentle pressure to your baby's gums can provide teething relief. Gently massage your baby's gums with a clean finger, damp gauze pad or washcloth for a couple of minutes when he or she is experiencing teething pain.

Buy teething products. Invest in products that relieve baby teething pain. Your baby may chew on toys or fingers to relieve their teething pain, so it's best for you to control what they're putting in their mouths. Make sure the object you give them is clean, safe and large enough to prevent a choking hazard. There are several types of teething rings on the market designed solely for teething help. Choose a teething ring made of firm rubber, not liquid, as the latter kind may break or leak. Teething crackers are also available as teething remedies, but can be messy.

Cool it down. Cool objects numb teething pain and help reduce inflammation. You can create your own teething remedies by using a frozen washcloth or a washcloth wrapped around an ice cube. Sticking a teething ring in the freezer for a few minutes can also provide teething relief. If your baby is old enough to eat solids, cold foods such as applesauce may also soothe them. Don't let cold objects stay on the gums for an extended period of length. Be sure you don't give them anything that's too cold or hard -- frozen objects can not only cause pain but can also bruise the gums.

Change bottles. Teething pain can cause babies to reject food. If your child is experiencing feeding problems, try changing the type of bottle or sippy cup he or she uses. If your toddler uses a bottle to help relieve baby teething pain, make sure it is only filled with water. Prolonged bottle use with sugary liquids can cause baby bottle tooth decay.

Prevent skin irritations. Consistent drooling can cause rashes on your baby's face, neck or chest. Wipe away the drool to help prevent rashes from developing. You may also consider using absorbent sheets for naptimes.

Consider pain medicine. Teething remedies do include over-the-counter pain medicines, which should only be purchased with your doctor's permission. There are two types of medicine designed for teething help: topical medicine and medicine that can be ingested. Your doctor can help you decide which, if any, of these teething pain relievers are best for your baby:

• Medicinal gels that are placed on your baby's gums provide temporary teething relief by numbing the area. The effectiveness of these gels has been debated -- if your baby experiences drooling during teething, they can be easily washed away. Your baby may also not like the taste of topical baby teething pain medicines, making it harder for parents to apply them. Too much topical gel can also numb a baby's throat, causing problems with their gag reflex and opening up the possibility for food to be misdirected into the lungs.
• Your doctor may recommend acetaminophen (Children's Tylenol®) or ibuprofen (Children's Advil® or Motrin®), but ibuprofen should not be given to children younger than 6 months of age. Do not use aspirin for teething relief. An interest fact from WebMD states that no one younger than 20 should be given aspirin, as it is linked to Reye's syndrome, a rare but serious disease.

When it comes to teething relief, safety is any parent's number one priority. Make sure that any objects you give your child to chew on are clean and large enough to prevent choking. Tying a teething ring or pacifier around your baby's neck may also cause strangulation. Consult with your child's doctor before giving your baby any drugs for teething pain -- even over-the-counter medicine -- and be sure to pay attention to dosage and the number of times your child receives the medicine daily. Not only should aspirin not be ingested by children, but don't place aspirin or alcohol on your baby's gums. Aspirin is not a toothache remedy and can irritate the gums.

Teething is not harmful and can be treated at home with several types of teething remedies, but it's important to know when to call your doctor. If baby teething pain is severe, prolonged or doesn't respond to at-home teething remedies, you may want to call your child's doctor. It's important to note that fever, diarrhea and other flu-like symptoms are not signs of teething. If your baby is experiencing any of these symptoms, it could mean he or she has another illness and your pediatrician should be contacted.

Both the American Dental Association and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommend that you take your child to for a dentist visit when they get their first tooth or reach their first birthday. If your child is teething, then it's time to make that first appointment! A dentist will check for signs of problems and may even offer more tips for teething help.

To find a trusted dentist for your teething baby, call us at 1-866-970-0441.