Your baby can feel a lot of discomfort and pain when teething. As a result, they remain cranky and won’t sleep or allow you to sleep. The entire family can easily become exhausted due to the baby waking up in the middle of the night because of the pain – and you, as a parent, will want to reduce the pain the child is feeling. You may have been searching for natural remedies for teething without coming across any that works for your child. That is why I have taken the time to create this post for parents looking for sure solutions to their babies’ teething problems.
Table of Contents
You will learn the following from this post:
- Meaning of teething
- Symptoms of teething
- Why teething hurts a child
- When to start brushing your baby’s teeth
- Natural remedies for teething
What is Teething?
Odotiasis is the medical term for teething. Signs of teething may begin to show in your baby as early as three months old; most babies will grow their first tooth between the ages of 4 and 7 months. Their teeth usually begin to show at the bottom middle of the mouth, then the top middle one will appear, and then the back of the mouth. By the age of 3, most kids will have all of their primary teeth. The teething pattern includes the following:
- Lower central incisors
- Upper central incisors
- Upper lateral incisors
- Lower lateral incisors
- Molars
- Canines
- Second molars
Both the lower and upper central appear in a set of two; the same thing applies to the lower and upper lateral incisors. However, the molars, canines, and second molars come in sets of four.
As teeth push their way through the gums, your baby may begin to feel discomfort and pain, leading to the child becoming irritable. You will always notice their drooly nature and how they want to chew on things.
Baby Teething Symptoms
A few telltale signs in babies indicate that the teeth are coming in. sometimes, however, you will wake up to a surprise tooth because some babies hardly register a tooth coming in, and some experience significant teething discomfort. Every child handles the symptoms of teething differently. Here are some of the signs of teething in babies:
- Swollen and red gums
- Chewing or gnawing on things around them
- Decreased appetite
Other more significant symptoms include the following:
Profuse Drooling
Teething stimulates drooling, meaning that your baby will constantly release saliva from their mouth. Drooling means that your child’s clothes will be constantly soggy and wet.
Coughing
The cough and gag may be a result of the constant drooling. However, you should not concern yourself much about this if the baby exhibits no flu or cold symptoms.
Teething Rash
Chapping, rashes, and redness around the baby’s mouth and chin may be the work of the constant drooling due to the enzymes the saliva contains.
Biting
Teething results in pressure from the coming teeth, which pokes through the gums and causes significant discomfort to the child.
Crying
Discomfort and pain vary from baby to baby. While some babies may breeze through this teething process comfortably, others suffer severe pain because of the inflammation of the gum area.
Irritability
Babies become fussy and irritable through the teething process because the teeth will continue to poke through the surface of the gum.
Refusal to Feed
The pain may be too intense for the baby that they will refuse breastfeeding or any feeding for that matter.
Waking in the Night
The pain and discomfort the teething causes may disrupt the baby’s sleep, causing them to cry all night long.
Rubbing the Cheek and Pulling the Ear
Teething babies may tend to rub their cheek or chin or tug at their ear.
Always confirm with a pediatrician the best and safest natural remedies for teething before trying any to avoid unnecessary complications.
Why Does Teething Hurt a Child?
The teething process is a painful one that causes the child great pain. This pain results from the tooth beginning to move beneath the surfaces of the gum tissue that causes the area to become sensitive, swollen, and red. Some teeth, such as the molars, hurt even more because they are the most sensitive due to their larger surface area.
When to Begin Brushing Your Baby’s Teeth
You can start caring for your baby’s smile just a few days after birth. Always wipe down their gums with a gauze pad or a clean, moist washcloth after feeding. Concerning brushing your baby’s teeth with a toothbrush, you can start anytime the first primary tooth appears. Always ensure that you use an infant-sized toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste to brush their tooth (or teeth) twice a day. When two teeth begin to touch, add flossing once a day to your baby’s oral hygiene routine.
Tooth decay can occur when your baby’s teeth begin to come in, which is why it is so important to brush your baby’s teeth as soon as they appear. Avoid giving your child a bottle to sleep within the night (it does not matter whether the bottle contains breast milk) because the bottle can cause baby bottle tooth decay. This advice is because the sugars contained in the formula, cow’s milk and breast milk, can sit on the teeth, and the sugar does not wash away because the child is sleeping, which means there will be a reduction in saliva production. Make sure your baby finishes their bottle before naps or bedtime. During the day, fill the bottle with only formula, cow’s milk, or breast milk. Avoid giving your baby sugary juice or drinks.
The final step in keeping your baby’s teeth healthy during the teething process is to schedule when you will take your baby to a pediatric dentist when the first tooth appears – or anytime before your child’s first birthday. Early care of your baby’s teeth will go a long way in having your child grow with a radiant and bright smile that will be the envy of their peers or other parents.
7 Natural Remedies for Teething
As the name already implies, teething is the process of a baby’s teeth coming in through the gums. This process can make even the happiest baby a little cranky and fussy. Below are some of the natural remedies for teething that will help ease your baby’s pain while keeping them protected against harmful substances.
1. Breast Milk
A mother freezing her breast milk into ice cubes can help relieve the baby’s sore gums. Pour the breast milk into a tray for ice cubes and put it in the freezer. Once you have frozen the milk, break the ice cubes into smaller bites and offer them in a baby feeder or teething mesh. Nursing can also give the child some relief as the process of sucking will reduce the pressure on your child’s gums. Chamomile tea contains excellent properties for lowering the fussiness and stress of teething. A nursing mother can drink this tea and pass the benefits of the tea along to the baby as well.
2. Frozen or Cool Items
Frozen or cold foods like apples, bananas, or carrots can be safe for your baby to gnaw or gum on. You should monitor the food you give to your baby and ensure that you serve it in a silicone teether or mesh to prevent large pieces from choking your baby. Many parents prefer slightly frozen washcloths as natural remedies for teething. All you should do is immerse a clean washcloth in diluted caffeine-free chamomile tea or water and freeze for some minutes. You can give your child the cold cloth to chew on if your baby is showing teething symptoms. This process can help reduce inflammation and provide your infant with a soothing effect.
3. Massage
As your baby’s teeth begin to appear, there may be tension along the child’s jaw, which can create pain that travels from the child’s mouth up to their ears. You can reduce your infant’s irritation and pain often caused by teething by giving the child a gentle facial massage. Start by massaging the child with the pads of your fingertips above the top lid and along the baby’s chin. Slowly move your hand to the child’s cheek and start moving your fingers in a circular motion. While moving your fingers, you should move your thumbs higher, drawing them gently across your child’s eyebrows to relieve tension. Massaging is one of the most excellent natural remedies for teething that reduces symptoms, calms the baby, and serves as a great bonding opportunity.
4. Teething Rings or Toys
Using a teething toy or ring that is safe and non-toxic is an excellent teething remedy that allows your child to chew and relieve pressure. Rubber and silicone are safe choices. You can also use a wooden teether, but ensure that you use a brand that uses water-based sealants. You should also know that you may need to oil some brands before using them. For teething toys, you can place them in the refrigerator or freezer, select one that contains water in case a seam breaks or there is a hole.
5. Using a Clean Finger
One of the most-used and popular natural remedies for teething is using a clean finger. Rubbing your finger across your baby’s sore gum or allowing them to chew on your finger can help relieve pain and tension. But you must make sure that your finger is completely clean. You don’t want to transfer germs to your innocent baby.
6. Baltic Amber
Baltic amber jewelry, worn as an anklet, bracelet, or necklace, is one of the oldest natural remedies for teething, and even scientists acknowledge its popularity. As confessed by most parents, Baltic amber contains succinic acid that enters the skin and relieves teething pain when the amber is against the skin. However, even though Baltic is popular among researchers, there is no scientific evidence to show that it works to relieve discomfort and pain. Some scientists have claimed that the risk of choking on one of the beads of Baltic amber is too great to disregard.
7. Herbal Remedies
Nursing mothers have been using herbal remedies for centuries to help ease their child’s teething pain (including many other ailments). Below are some ideas:
- Rosehip: This contains antioxidants and vitamin C. The tea is excellent for boosting the immune system. In addition, rosehip also has anti-inflammatory properties.
- Chamomile: Even though I have mentioned chamomile and chamomile tea already above, I cannot stress the importance of this herb enough. It is a pretty effective teething remedy that helps relax your child and soothe irritability that may result from the teething pain.
- Catnip: Catnip is capable of calming irritable babies and helping them to get enough rest.
- Clove: Clove works well as a natural anesthetic and benzocaine to relieve pain resulting from teething.
How to Use Herbal Teething Remedies
- Make a Tea: You can make tea out of any of the above herbs. For example, you can use the tea to dampen a washcloth you intend to freeze.
- Give as a Beverage: To make tea with these herbs, first, boil water and steep one teaspoon of any herbs in 10 ounces of water for about 7 minutes. Then, allow the tea to cool before serving it to your baby either in a bottle or with a syringe.
- Rub Directly Onto Gums: To produce a herbal infusion, you can rub directly onto the gums, place the herb in a small saucepan and cover with olive oil or any other oil. Simmer the tea on low for about 6 hours. Then, strain it and store it in the freezer or refrigerator. Dab some cold oil onto your infant’s gums as required.
Final Thoughts
You can do several safe things to help your child cope with teething problems. First, try some natural remedies for teething already provided in this post. Do not underestimate the importance of overall health to relieve excess inflammation. Eventually, your baby will be back to their old self…well, until the next tooth appears.
Post Disclaimer
The information contained in this post "7 Natural Remedies for Teething: Baby Teething Solutions that Work" is for educational purposes only. Always consult your primary care doctor before using the remedies that are provided. The information is provided by The Hidden Cures and while we do timely, in-depth research on the information that we provide to you, everything stated may not be up to date or accurate from the time it was written.