Reduce Your Baby's Pain During Teething

Baby

oi-Denise Baptiste

By Denise Baptiste

Tuesday, August 17, 2010, 14:14

Has your baby become cranky and restless ? Do You know why ?It maybe because your baby is beginning to have his /her first set of teeth.

It usually begins around 6 months of age and it is normal for a baby to start teething between 3 months to 12 months of age. The lower set of teeth tend to appear first, and at the age of 3, your child will have 20 primary teeth.
You baby faces a lot of pain during this period and this is because of soreness and the swelling of the gums . The pain begins 3 to 5 days before the tooth can show and they disappear as soon as the tooth breaks through the gum. A baby finds comfort in his or her own little ways to ease himself for the pain, they tend to bite on their fingers or their soft toys which in turn helps them to relieve the pressure in their gums. They also refrain from eating and drinking because their mouth hurts. Many of the babies have the tendency to drool during teething which causes a rash on their tender face, chest and shin.

These symptoms are normal, but if your baby is having severe pain , its advisable to visit a dentist. As a parent you have to help your little baby in the most simple ways to reduce their pain.

1. You can start by first massaging your baby gums with your clean finger ( wash your hands with a mild soap), you can either use olive oil which provides instant relief, ginger root , vanilla extract which helps to reduce the pain as well as ease an upset tummy or clove oil which is very potent, so add a little of edible oil with it before you rub it on the gums.
2. Giving your baby to chew on something that is cool also helps. Wrap ice in a clean cotton cloth and place it on your baby's gums , the cooling effect will help your baby feel relieved. However , don't putt the ice cube directly on your baby's gums as it will damage the tender gums. A gel filled teething ring can also help, so keep the ring in the refrigerator for some time before you give it to your baby.
3. There are some babies that enjoy chewing a baby sized toothbrush, which helps them. There are a lot of chewing toys that are available in the market specially made for teething. You should make it a habit to wash the toys after your baby has done chewing on them as it will be clean for later use. Never make the mistake of tying the toy around your baby's neck as it can cause choking or strangulation.

Apart from these three simple remedies , you have to provide a lot of love, cuddling and hugs during this frustrating time. These little tots are usually scared from this new pain and a little love can go a long way in helping your baby feel safe.