The appearance of a first tiny white tooth is an exciting milestone in your baby's development but it comes at a price. Many babies have months of dribbling, wailing and gnashing of swollen gums to get through before they have anything to show for it. Don't despair. We have got all the advice you need to help you and your baby survive the teething process.
Teething symptoms - how do I know it's teething?
You should make sure that something else isn't causing your baby to be upset. Ear infections are often mistaken for teething. Also, if she has a temperature you should take her to see a doctor.
Teething solutions – how can I ease the pain?
When babies are teething, they tend to put any new item directly into the mouth. Partly curiosity and partly an attempt at pain management, infants feel the urge to bite and chew. As the teeth are growing, the cells in the gum tissue above the teeth begin to break down, which helps the teeth slide through. The urge to bite or chew is a good thing, because the added pressure helps break down the gum tissue. Give your child something to chew on! You can find homeopathic ice pops, teething cookies, tablets and gels to help relieve your baby's teething pain.
Other natural remedies include herbs and oils, which can alleviate pain or help your baby calm down and get to sleep. One common remedy for the pain of toothache and teething is clove oil. Cloves contain oils that have warming, numbing properties, so that even holding a whole clove against a sore tooth with your tongue can ease the pain long enough to get to your dentist. Clove oil can be rubbed on sore gums to relieve pain, but only use a tiny amount: too much can upset your baby's stomach. Other homemade remedies include letting your infant chew on a natural licorice stick (the herb, not candy!) You can find natural licorice in health food stores: real licorice feels cool and also numbs the gums when your baby chews on it.
Some parents find that rubbing a little pure vanilla extract on the baby's gums can soothe the crying child: this home remedy may work in three ways. First, merely rubbing baby's gums can ease the pain by creating opposite pressure; second, the alcohol in vanilla extract will create a warm sensation that is temporarily comforting. The third way this remedy may work is in the calming properties of vanilla itself. Vanilla is known as a soothing yet energizing agent that reduces anxiety and promotes feelings of well-being. Besides that, vanilla has long been used to cure stomach distress: a baby whose stomach is mildly upset from crying or swallowing large amounts of drool may find vanilla soothing to the tummy as well as the nerves.
* Frozen teething ring. While the cold helps numb baby's sore gums, freezing normal rings can make them hard and uncomfortable. They now make soft teething rings that stay soft when you freeze them. Just be careful; soft rings can break open if chewed to hard. Make sure the ingredients inside wont harm your baby.
* Frozen washcloth. Just wet it down and pop it in the freezer. It has all the benefits of the teething ring, but it's softer for more sensitive babies. Soaking the washcloth in chamomile tea before freezing it will also have a calming effect.
* Food. Frozen bananas can be something new and different for a baby that doesn't want their teething ring. Plus they taste good too. Just don't give a baby with teeth since they can break off and choke on. Also try putting celery sticks in a bowl of water, and keep them in the fridge. The coolness is soothing and they're a healthy snack.
* Teething Biscuits. While the teething biscuits that your mother gave you contain chemical you probably don't want baby to have, they do make new organic biscuits you can give. Just be sure to check that they'll dissolve in your mouth before giving them to your child so there's no risk of choking.
* Natural teething tablets. The best one's to use contain Chamomilla for irritability and Belladonna for inflammation. They come in a form that dissolves in your child's mouth so there's no risk of choking.
If you've tried all these remedies and nothing has worked, take your child to their pediatrician. A common problem is that parents may miss signs of an illness because they think the crying and fussiness is caused by teething. The most important thing to remember with a teething baby is patience. When you get upset and frustrated, you child gets upset and frustrated too.
Teething is a mine of misinformation and many pages have been written about teething remedies and suggestions on what to do to help baby when he's cutting his first teeth. Here's one that will warn you about some of the more dangerous "don't dos", based on feed back from Moms all over the world.
1. Don't use pain relief gel too often – If you overuse the gel, it may numb baby's throat and disable his gag reflex – a gag reflex keeps him from choking. Although these types of teething remedies are usually safe, they can cause an allergic reaction in some people.
2. Don't dip baby's pacifier in honey. Your baby will soon expect the sweet taste and may reject a normal pacifier. The sugar could decay any teeth that are already formed.
3. Don't give your baby a lot of fruit juice – Even natural fruit juices contain a lot of sugar, but, even worse, they also contain acid, which can wear the teeth away over time. Give natural fruit juices in a cup, not a bottle, which may stay in contact with the teeth.
4. Don't use toothpaste containing a lot of fluoride – A baby will swallow the toothpaste so use a children's toothpaste with less fluoride (or no fluoride) until they are able to spit it out by themselves. Fluoride is toxic in excess.
5. Don't rub gums with alcohol – Alcohol is not up there with the best teething remedies, but some parents insist on using it. Perhaps they think the alcohol will help get baby to sleep – it won't!
7. Don't offer any teething rings which contain liquid – Avoid rubber or plastic teething rings with liquid inside because they may break and leak. If you do use a teething ring, cool it in the freezer for a while. However don't forget to take it out before it solidifies, it may hurt baby's sore gums.
8. Don't forget to clean milk teeth each day – If they're just going to fall out anyway, why bother cleaning them? Milk teeth can decay easily and fall out before their time. Those first teeth serve as a guide for the second teeth appearing after. Without the milk teeth to guide them, the second teeth may be crooked and misaligned. Also cleaning the milk teeth sets up good habits in a young child. Habits picked up at an early age usually stay with us for life.
9. Don't give baby too much Tylenol (acetaminophen) – Although it's generally thought to be safe, Tylenol may cause damage to the liver on overdose. Never exceed the maximum daily dosage!
10. Don't give baby aspirin, it's dangerous. Aspirin has been linked to a potentially fatal condition known as Reye's Syndrome in children. It's rare, but not worth the risk. So don't even rub baby's gums with anything containing aspirin.
Do you have your own teething remedies? Do let us know by posting a comment below.