Home Remedy Treatments for Baby Teething Pain
The teething pain babies experience as their teeth first come in can be very painful. It’s even rough on parents! It often seems like there’s nothing you can do. To make matters worse, the pain is often worse at night (no it’s not your imagination). That means your baby isn’t sleeping and neither are you.
Every baby’s different, but teething pain often first occurs at about 6 months.
The first teeth to appear are often the two bottom front teeth (lower central incisors). Next come the two top front teeth (upper central incisors).
Symptoms include:
- A new found love of chewing on things
- Sore gums
- Drooling
- Low-grade fever of 99 F (37.2 C)
- Home Treatments
- Irritability or crankiness (that includes mom and dad)
In most cases, there’s no need for alarm. You can try rubbing the baby’s gums with your finger. A chilled washcloth, cool spoon or chilled (not frozen) teething ring can also provide relief.
Wooden teethers or wooden toys can also be helpful.
Frozen fruit or veggies are a good idea. Put these in a (put in a mesh or silicone teether for small babies).
Teething babies tend to drool a lot. Dry the drool with a clean cloth to prevent rash.
Vitamins and Breastfeeding
If breastfeeding has been effective, keep at it. Breast milk has antibodies that boost the baby’s immune system and can help alleviate teething pain. Plus, nursing can be very comforting and soothing. And yes, Mom will feel better too!
Make sure the baby gets a healthy dose of vitamin D with plenty of exposure sunlight. During the wintertime, vitamin D supplements might be a good idea.
Watch Out for Bacteria in Teething Toys
Be wary of plastic bacteria in toys like Sophie the Giraffe. Parents used to swear by Sophie, until a few decided to do their own home autopsies on the giraffe and post the results online. Turns out these toys can grow virtual farms of bacteria, which can be harmful to your child, especially if they are allergic to mold.
Schedule an Appointment with Your Cincinnati Family Dentist
Once your baby has teeth, it’s always a good idea to get them into see the family dentist. Our Cincinnati clinic is specially trained to help babies and toddlers feel comfortable and safe. It’s never too early to start. Give us a call to schedule an appointment.