Our ten month old baby is teething and it is a painful process for him and us! The teething process started at six months and could last until the age of three (yes — blimey!)
Every month he endures a painful bout of the common teething symptoms; biting, lack of appetite, red cheeks, extreme clinginess, high temperature, disturbed sleep and general crankiness, when even his most favoured toys hold no allure.
In ‘how to relieve baby’s teething pain’ Mindful Mum looks at the; key teething signs, over the counter remedies and natural teething solutions at our disposal in the UK.
Teething Signs
- Drooling (often partnered with chin or lip rash)
- Red cheeks
- Sore, sensitive or swollen gums
- Biting or gnawing on everything including you
- Disrupted night time sleep and fitful day time napping
- Raised temperature (but not a fever, which is a temperature of 38C (100.4F) or above)
- No interest in toys
- Grumpy
- Clingy and whimpering
- Lack of appetite and possibly off breast or bottle milk (the sucking draws blood to the gums and makes them more sensitive)
Home Remedies to Relieve Teething Pain
- Your cold finger on the gum area can numb the pain temporarily
- Something to chew on such as a wet flannel kept in fridge
- Cold food such as apple puree or yoghurt straight from the fridge
- Cold chewing aid such as frozen bagel or bread
- Wipe drool on face with cloth to prevent rashes
- Lots of comforting cuddles (or as Nana puts it ‘nursing’)
Over the Counter Remedies for Teething
- Homeopathic teething powder
- Painkiller for baby’s (e.g. paracetamol or ibuprofen)
- Silicon teething ring (better than gel filled as much easier to sterilise)
- Hard teething biscuits such as bickiepegs
- Teething gels (can contain a mild local anesthetic to numb pain and antiseptic to reduce infection) — please be aware of product recalls for teething gel brands
- Wooden teething ring or amber necklace
Symptoms Not Believed to be Teething Related
- Teething and diarrhea are not usually associated (if your baby has diarrhea and a high temperature consult your doctor as it maybe connected to another illness)
Teething Tips From Real Mums
- Frozen banana or cold cucumber to relieve hot gums
- Rubber spoons are softer on sensitive gums during weaning
- Cold water from a doidy cup gives baby relief from hot gums
- Serve food that you would normally heat up cold from the fridge
Teething Milestones
- Typically babies teeth at six months, however 1 in 2,000 babies is actually born with a tooth or two.
- Early starters can cut a tooth at three months and it is not usual for some babies to see their first tooth closer to twelve months
- First tooth is normally the lower central incisors and the last teeth the second molars, found in the upper and lower back of the mouth
- Teething order of appearance; the bottom front ones first, then the top two middle ones, then the ones along the sides and back
- Baby teeth fall out around the age of six when the permanent teeth are ready to come in
| AGE (months) | TEETH | POSITION |
|---|---|---|
| 6 – 7 | Central Incisors | Two central teeth at bottom and top of mouth (four in total) |
| 7 – 9 | Lateral or side incisors | Next to central incisors top and bottom (four in total) |
| 10 – 14 | First molars (chewing teeth) | Double or back teeth for chewing |
| 15 – 18 | Cuspid or Canines | Pointed teeth top and bottom (four in total) |
| 24 – 36 | Second molars (chewing teeth) | Second set of double teeth at the back (four in total) |
Keeping Baby Teeth Clean
- Start brushing gums and teeth with a baby tooth brush and light smear of baby toothpaste when they come through
- Dentists tend to prefer 1st visits at around 6 months
- Don’t put baby to bed with a bottle as the milk can pool in the baby’s mouth and lead to baby-bottle tooth decay
Please share any teething tips below…
Baby Teething References
NHS Choices Teething Introduction
Pamela DenBesten, Pediatric Dentistry University of California, San Francisco School of Dentistry Is teething associated with diarrhea
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