Tips for Comforting a Teething Baby
Babies can’t verbally tell you that their budding teeth and gums hurt, but they can surely let you know in other ways that they are uncomfortable. If you’ve ever had a toothache, you can understand why your sweet baby has turned into a tearful, whining, drooling mess. How can you comfort him or her to get through this difficult phase?
When Does Teething Typically Begin?
The timing for teething varies, but they often begin teething at approximately 6 months. If there is a typical pattern, the bottom front teeth are usually the first to emerge, followed by the two top front teeth and the whole mouth eventually fills in after that.
You may not even be aware that a tooth is erupting until you hear the clanging sound of the spoon on the tooth as you feed your baby. As stated earlier, a baby will let you know without being able to tell you when they are teething.
Typical Signs of Teething Include:
- Irritability or fussiness
- Chewing on everything
- Drooling
- Tender gums
- Slight increase in temperature
How Can You Relieve Sore Gums for Your Baby?
If your teething baby is distressed, these simple tips should help bring some comfort:
- Keep your baby’s mouth cool. A cold solid rubber teething ring not only gives him or her something to chew on, it can be soothing on a baby’s gums.
- Rub your baby’s gums with your clean finger or some wet gauze. This gum massage can help ease your baby’s discomfort.
- If your baby is especially uncomfortable or feverish, consider giving him or her children’s over-the-counter pain medications such as Tylenol.
- Yogurt or cold applesauce might cool their gums and bring relief.
Gum Treatments to Avoid
For your baby’s safety, avoid using the following:
- Teething medications containing benzocaine or lidocaine. These pain relievers can be harmful, and in some cases even fatal to your baby despite labels that seem to approve of the practice, they are not safe.
- Over the counter homeopathic teething tablets haven’t been proven to be helpful. In some studies, these remedies contained greater amounts than labeled of the ingredient belladonna, which can cause seizures and difficulty breathing.
- Some products on the market for teething babies include teething necklaces and bracelets. These items pose a risk of choking, strangulation, mouth injury and infection.
- Frozen teething rings were used for many years, but they have proven to be hazardous. They are made of various materials and filled with substances that break and cause a myriad of problems.
How To Care for Your Baby’s New Teeth
Now that your baby has new teeth, it’s time to take care of those pearly white buds.
- Use a small, soft-bristled toothbrush to clean his or her teeth twice a day using a rice size portion of fluoride toothpaste.
- When those cute teeth emerge, it’s also time to make an appointment with Dr. Angela S. Evanson, DDS for his or her first dental checkup as recommended by the American Dental Association.
- Regular childhood dental care beginning near his or her first birthday will establish habits that lead to a lifetime of enjoying healthy teeth and gums.
- Within a few years, these baby teeth will begin to fall out to make room for permanent teeth, so taking care of them early should be a top priority!
Make the First Dentist Appointment for Your Baby
Your baby has lots of “firsts”; first tooth, first steps and first haircut. Give our office a call at (720) 409-0008 or contact Dr. Evanson online to make the first dental appointment for your child.
It’s never too early to start building good dental habits for your child!
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