Teething is a rough time for many babies. As those teeth try to break through the gums, usually beginning around age 6 months and concluding by age 3, the pain can cause irritability, crying and a disruption in sleep and eating habits. Natural at-home remedies help relieve the pain for a happier baby.
Massage Techniques
Massing the gums helps relieve discomfort caused by the pressure of the tooth trying to erupt below. Before a tooth erupts past the surface, use your clean finger to rub the gums. Once the tooth breaks through the gum, wet a washcloth with cool water and massage the gums. Clean the washcloth before using it in your baby's mouth again. You can also massage the gums with a wet gauze pad.
Things to Chew
Give your baby something to chew -- a teething ring or a cold, wet washcloth. You can give a room-temperature teething ring or a cooled teething ring, but don't give a frozen one. The extreme cold from a frozen teething ring may cause pain to your baby's mouth. Use teething rings made of rubber, not ones filled with water. Chewing may break open the liquid-filled kind. Alternatively, try a bottle filled with cool water.
Supplements
Some manufactures sell natural supplements for teething, but little research exists to judge the effectiveness and safety of such supplements. German chamomile, often under the name chamomilla, is one of the most common supplements recommended for teething, according to a review of homeopathic products in the January 2010 "Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine." German chamomile differs from Roman chamomile, which is not safe for babies. Talk to your doctor before giving any supplement to your child, because only he can judge if German chamomile is safe. Do not give a child under 5 more than 1/2 cup of chamomile tea a day. Your doctor may recommend a dose as small as 1 to 2 oz. a day.
Warnings
Never give your baby any teething item that is small enough to swallow or cause choking. Supervise your child with her teething ring or washcloth. Do not tie the teething device around the neck. The string could strangle your baby or cause choking. If you use a bottle for teething, do not put anything but water in it. Milk, sugar or juice, for example, can cause tooth decay. Do not apply any powder or liquid directly onto the gums or teeth. Call the doctor if you think your baby has excess pain from teething, or experiences a fever or diarrhea.
References
- KidsHealth: Teething Tots
- MayoClinic.com; Teething: Tips for Soothing Sore Gums; December 2009
- "Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine";The Use of Homeopathic Products in Childhood: Data Generated over 8.5 Years from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC); E.A. Thompson; et al.; January 2010
- University of Maryland Medical Center: German Chamomile
- Medline Plus: Roman Chamomile
