Dos and Don'ts for Teething Babies
Teething is a natural process that usually begins when a child is between three and nine months old. Symptoms of teething, such as drooling, irritability, increased chewing on hands or hard objects, sore or swelling gums, and mild fever, may begin a few weeks before the first tooth breaks the surface. Teething technically continues until all twenty baby teeth (also called “primary” or “milk” teeth) have arrived, generally by age three, but the process usually becomes less painful once several of the teeth have already erupted. It can be hard for parents and caregivers to see their children in pain as their teeth come in, and it can also be frustrating to deal with an unhappy baby for weeks on end. There are many ideas out there about how to offer relief from the discomfort of teething, but some are definitely better and safer than others. Here are some dos and don'ts to keep your baby safe and as comfortable as possible. ● DO wipe your child's face frequently so they don't develop a rash from increased drooling. ● DON'T cut the gums to help a tooth break through, as this can lead to infection. ● DO let your baby suck or chew on a cool teething ring or damp washcloth. Place items in the refrigerator for approximately 30 minutes, but don't place them in the freezer as this could cause them to become too cold or too hard, which may cause the baby more pain. Use only solid, single-piece, rubber teething rings to avoid the choking hazard of pieces possibly breaking off or leakage from a teething ring filled with water or other liquids. If you use a washcloth, be sure to wash it after every use to prevent the spread of germs.
● DON'T tie a teething ring or any other object around any part of your child's body, as this can very quickly become a strangulation risk. ● DO feed your child teething biscuits and cool, soft foods, such as applesauce or yogurt, if they have already progressed to eating solid foods. Do not feed your child frozen foods, such as ice cream, as they will probably be too cold and actually cause more pain. ● DON'T hesitate to contact a doctor if your teething baby develops a high fever or diarrhea. Teething may cause a mild fever, but anything that is concerningly high is almost certainly due to another problem. Teething has never been medically linked to diarrhea. ● DO rub your baby's gums with a clean finger or damp gauze before the teeth actually erupt. ● DON'T use local anesthetics, such as viscous lidocaine or benzocaine (found in Orajel, Baby Orajel, Anbesol, Hurricaine, and Orabase) in your baby's mouth unless your child's dentist or doctor specifically tells you to. These products have been shown to cause a rare but serious (sometimes fatal) condition called methemoglobinemia, which decreases the amount of oxygen in the blood, and children under two are particularly at risk. ● DO ask your child's dentist or doctor about using baby acetaminophen or ibuprofen to relieve discomfort and follow their advice. ● DON'T use teething powders, rub alcohol on your baby's gums, give them aspirin or place it against their teeth, or use homeopathic teething remedies, as they may contain ingredients that are unsafe for young children. ● DO let your baby suck on a bottle filled with water. Save bottles of milk, formula, or juice for regular feeding times to control the risk of tooth decay from too much sugar and acid. Teething can be a somewhat unpleasant process for both children and caregivers, but there are plenty of safe, healthy ways to decrease the level of discomfort for anyone involved. If you are interested in learning more about teething or have any questions, your Austin, Texas, pediatric dentistry specialists at Tiny Texans Pediatric Dentistry are standing by for your call or visit!