How to Ease Teething Pain
October 2, 2010 by Anna
Filed under Baby & Family
When a baby begins teething, they want to chew – on anything! Simply rubbing a clean finger gently but firmly over your baby’s sore gums or crooking your finger and allowing them to gnaw on it will give them some relief short term. It’s important to purchase a few firm, rubber teething rings that are made of BPA free plastic or silicone that can be refrigerated to give added anesthetic relief. Wooden rattles have been used for generations as a combination toy and teething tool and merely need to be rinsed with soap and water when they are inevitably dropped on the floor.
Another makeshift remedy is a clean cold washcloth wrapped around a single ice cube and held tight with a rubber band. This item seldom lasts long enough for the ice cube to melt and the rubber band to become a hazard, but always keep your eye peeled when your baby is chewing or sucking on anything. If you are at home, you can have a stock of wet wash cloths in clean plastic bags ready and waiting in your freezer – then there is no need for the ice cube.
If your baby is old enough to eat solids, they may enjoy chewing on a hard, unsweetened teething biscuit or a bit of frozen bagel or special teething crusts that are shaped perfectly for tiny fists to hold. There’s some controversy over using cold carrots because they can break off and become a choking hazard. However, my babies did very well when I chose the larger end of a full size carrot and let it sit in a plastic bag in the freezer for awhile before giving it to them. Of course, no baby should be left unattended when eating or chewing on something because any food item can break off or go down the wrong pipe and become a choking hazard.
A more recent invention is attaching a teething ring to a bib so that your little one can find it when the need to teeth is intense and let it go without concern. This is a great thing to have especially when you’re driving or strolling and other teethers will be tossed and lost before the first mile.
When It’s Really Bad…
If these simple methods don’t give your baby sufficient relief from their discomfort, most doctors recommend giving a small dose of childrens pain reliever such as infants’ acetaminophen or motrin — but check with your doctor before giving your baby any medication. Never give your baby aspirin or rub it on their gums to ease their pain. Aspirin use in children is associated with Reye’s syndrome, a rare but potentially life-threatening condition. There are homeopathic medicines for teething and herbal formulas that help to calm a distressed baby, but make sure you get all the information from a trusted professional before trying even a seemingly safe alternative medicine.
Rubbing the gums with a topical pain relief gel also can be helpful and many choices are available over the counter, but again, discuss this option with your pediatrician. One of the risks is that the medicine could be swallowed and numb the throat, increasing a choking risk. When I was a baby, my mother swore that dipping her finger in brandy and rubbing the area of the gum where the offending tooth was pressing – gave immediate relief. However, I’ve been told that any amount of alcohol can be poisonous to a baby so I never tried it – but it seems many generations of people have used this method and survived to tell the story. I tried using clove oil on my babies, which is renowned for it’s anesthetic properties, but it created a disturbing numbness to the tongue and temporarily caused my children even more distress – though the gum pain was indeed lessened.
In Conclusion
Teething can be a terrible trial to a new parent and it’s important to remain calm and objective, as well as caring, while your child passes through this developmental crisis. Your cranky, upset babe can be soothed and getting through a difficult time together will deepen your bond. Just remember, this too shall pass and the smiles that come afterward will be all the more glorious.
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