Guest Author - Lori Phillips
One of the most frustrating phases of babyhood is cutting the first tooth. As the tiny white fragment pushes up through tender young gums, nerve endings fire off and catch the young baby off guard with painful sensations. Here are ways to reduce the pain and crying of a teething baby:
Give a sterilized chew toy. Chewing on a soft baby toy provides relief for the gums. There are fluid-filled rings made just for teething. Refrigerating them, or other toys, will cool them for added relief to baby’s gums. Don’t freeze them as they can damage baby’s fingers and hands.
Wet a small baby face cloth with cold water and squeeze out the excess liquid. Let him gum this.
Set the baby in his high chair and place a few ice cubes in his feeding tray. They not only will distract him but soothe his gums with the cold. Just be careful to stand guard and remove any ice cubes that melt down to a size that could choke him. Use large cubes that cannot fix into his mouth whole.
Rub teething ointment on his gums. There are several over-the-counter brands that are safe and effective.
Freeze some fruit juice in ice pop molds. Once frozen, remove them and hold one for your baby to suck on. Be sure to rinse out his mouth with a drink of water afterward to avoid sugar on his new tooth.
Although baby may refuse foods during this time, feed cold, soft foods like applesauce or yogurt to provide relief.
Massage his gums very softly and gently with a finger wrapped in a cold, damp cloth. Do not push down on the affected area of the gum or any new tooth that is erupting.
Ask your pediatrician about giving him some pain relief medication, like child-strength Tylenol™, to reduce any accompanying fever, pain and inflammation so he can sleep at night. A sleep-deprived baby becomes more sensitive to pain and gets headaches that will exacerbate his misery.
Fevers often come with erupting teeth. Use fever-reducing meds and cool towels to manage his discomfort.
Distract your baby with plenty of things to do.
Keep baby’s face and chin free of drool. Drooling increases during teething and can cause painful skin rashes on the face.
Relax while soothing your baby. A child can pick up on the nervous energy and tension of his parents. Getting upset will only make the baby cry more.
The teething process passes quickly. As soon as a new tooth is visible, the pain usually subsides. Get your baby used to early dental hygiene with a no-sugar diet and gentle tooth
