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Help for Teething

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One of the simplest ways to help your baby with the pain of teething is to rub her gums with a clean finger or wet washcloth. If you have a good idea of which tooth or teeth are about to emerge next, apply gentle pressure to that area of her gums, and see whether this appears to help the pain.

As mentioned above, your baby may want to put anything that is available into her mouth to ease the pain in her gums -- so, as always, don't let her near anything that could cause her to choke. At any supermarket, drugstore, or specialty baby gear store, you will find a wide selection of teething toys and teething rings, specially designed for the baby to chew on while she is teething. Many of these are made of rubber or a strong, soft type of plastic. As you have probably experienced yourself at some time or another, having something cold in your mouth can help with pain in your teeth or gums. Some teething rings are filled with water and are designed to be kept cold in the fridge until the baby needs it. Non-water-filled teething toys can usually also be kept cold. There are also teething toys made of terrycloth (towel material), which may also help the baby more if wet and cold. Don't put teething toys in the freezer, because frozen toys or rings can hurt your baby's gums. Babies react differently to the different types of teething toys, so try two or three different kinds and see which one seems to provide the most relief.

For the same reason, a bottle of cold water (or cup of cold water for an older child) can also relieve teething pain, as can cold foods like chilled baby food, applesauce, or yogurt.

If these remedies aren't working, check with your doctor about giving the baby infant Tylenol (acetaminophen) or using an over-the-counter pain reliever designed specifically for teething babies. Your doctor may recommend one or the other, and will tell you the amount of Tylenol or Baby Orajel (or other brand) to give to the child, depending on her age and weight.

Never give children aspirin, since it exposes them to the risk of developing Reyes syndrome. Never cut your baby's gums to "free up" the teeth -- this is an old-fashioned remedy that did not help and often resulted in serious infection. Finally, always check with your doctor before trying a new method of treatment for teething, whether that treatment is "natural" or "medical."

Next Page: Caring for Your Child's Teeth

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