Teething

We’re chatting teething tips and tricks, in partnership with Orajel™. If you have a baby or toddler who’s in teething hell, we have a few great ideas to try to reduce the stress and pain of teething on both child and parent.

If you’ve raised children then I’m pretty sure you’ve dealt with teething. It can be a nightmare at times. But there are some things you can do to alleviate the pain for both the child who is teething and the parents who have to care for the child.

First I’ll start off with the symptoms of a typical teething child. I want to warn you that some babies do these things even when they aren’t teething (especially the drool and crankiness). My middle child started drooling when she was 3 months old and didn’t have a tooth until almost a year old. Every child is different. And always remember to consult your pediatrician when using medicines with your child to ensure proper dosage.

Classic signs and symptoms of teething often include:

Drooling, which may begin about two months before the first tooth appears
Irritability or crankiness
Swollen gums
Chewing on solid objects
Fingers in mouth constantly
Waking more frequently at night

Teething Tips and Tricks

Now that we’ve gone over the symptoms, what’s the best way to soothe sore gums? If your teething baby seems uncomfortable, consider these simple teething tips and tricks:

Rub your baby’s gums.

Use a clean finger, moistened gauze pad or damp washcloth to massage your baby’s gums. The pressure can ease your baby’s discomfort. My daughter loves when I take a frozen wash cloth and use my finger to rub it all over her gums. The massage helps alleviate her pain and sometimes I catch her grabbing a washcloth and trying to use it herself.

Offer a teething ring.

Try one made of firm rubber. My children all thoroughly enjoyed Vulli teething rings and Sophie the Giraffe as well. The liquid-filled variety of teething rings may break under the pressure of your baby’s chewing. If a bottle seems to do the trick, fill it with water. Prolonged contact with sugar from formula, milk or juice may cause tooth decay.

And if you are on the go, I highly suggest investing in a few pieces of teething jewelry. I own a pendant necklace and a bangle bracelet and love both. My son and daughters use them not only for teething but as entertainment when we’re in the store, out to dinner or simply going on a car ride. I’m surprised with how much my kids love these items especially because the jewelry is so cute.

Keep it cool.

A cold washcloth or chilled teething ring can be soothing. Don’t give your baby a frozen teething ring, however. Contact with extreme cold may hurt, doing your baby more harm than good. If your baby’s eating solid foods, offer cold items such as applesauce or yogurt. When we’re dealing with a teething toddler, we like to freeze yogurt tubes and give as a treat.

One of the best things I’ve found to use for my young teething infants is the use of a mesh feeder filled with frozen fruits. My son especially loved frozen melon in his mesh feeder. He would quickly get sick of his cold teething rings and this feeder would save my sanity some nights.

Dry the drool.

Excessive drooling is part of the teething process. To prevent rashes and possible break outs, keep a clean cloth handy to dry your baby’s chin. You might also make sure your baby sleeps on an absorbent sheet.

Try an over-the-counter remedy.

If your baby is especially cranky, acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others) may help. I’ve had good luck with Baby Orajel™ Homeopathic Teething Gel with my third child. And with the soothing power of Chamomilla (commonly known as Chamomile), Baby Orajel™ Homeopathic Teething Gel offers safe, effective, and naturally derived teething pain relief for your baby. I love that I can grab this and take it with us so that while we’re traveling or at Grandma’s, we can soothe the pain teething can bring to her. Especially the eye teeth she is getting right now. Oy!