It's a joyous moment when your little one gets her first tooth. However, the process is not smooth for babies. By the time their first tooth pops up, babies have to endure pain, swollen and inflamed gums. The gum micosa is very sensitive and this is why babies get fussy and cranky when a tooth is pushing through. When the baby is irritable, it takes a toll on the parents. The good thing is that there are several safe remedies you can give the baby to make the teething process more bearable. Before you administer any of the remedies you need to be sure that the baby has teething problems.
Teething Symptoms
Common teething symptoms include: drooling, crankiness, gum redness, difficulty in sleeping, decreased appetite and even mild diarrhoea. There are some babies who develop rashes on the neck, cheeks and chin. In other cases, the baby may develop congestion, mild fever and ear pulling. These symptoms are no cause for alarm, in fact they are normal. If you notice these symptoms, you can try the following teething remedies.
Cold Things
Ice is used to numb pain and to decrease swelling, in the same way cold things can be used to ease the baby's pain. Put a clean and sanitized wash cloth in a plastic bag and chill it in the freezer. You can soak it in chamomile tea for an extra soothing touch. Chamomile has been known to calm cranky babies and get them to sleep. Remove the cloth from the plastic bag and give the child to munch on it. The cloth will massage the ridges, and the cold touch will numb the pain.
You can also place a teether or pacifier in the fridge. It is ill advised to store the teether in the freezer because it will become too hard and may damage the baby's soft gum. If you use a teether, buy one with a handle so that the baby's hands don't get cold.
If the baby has already begun taking solid foods, you can offer frozen fruits and let the baby chomp on it. You can also freeze a carrot and hold it for the baby to chomp. Alternatively, you can give the baby cold yoghurt to sooth the pain.
Painkillers
In extreme cases, the dentist may prescribe a painkiller such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Many parents opt for over-the-counter numbing gels easily available in drug stores. However, parents should be cautious not to buy those containing benzocaine. This is because benzocaine has been found to cause methomoglobinemia which a dangerous condition that drastically reduces the oxygen in the body.
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