When your baby is going through the teething stage, for most parents it can be difficult to find the perfect remedy to help ease the pain in the little one’s mouth.
Parenting on Female First
Teeth begin to form whilst the baby is still in the womb and do not usually come through until the baby is between 6 months to a year. With approximately one of every 2,000 births in the UK born with baby teeth it seems many parents will experience this at some point.
Jenny McLaughlan, creator of Gumigem teething jewellery, shares her advice on what you should be looking out for and the best way to deal with it and how to stop the pain.
If you are one of the lucky few, your little one will just pop out a nice new pearly white, without fuss, but unfortunately the majority experience considerable discomfort during this time. On average starts around 6 months, but can start as early as a few months, it is also not uncommon for babies not to get any teeth until well past their first birthday. With 20 of these bad boys to come through it can be a distressing time for both the parent and the baby. Historically the medical professions intervention to ease teething was quite often barbaric, from blistering the gums, to using leeches or lancing the gums to help the teeth break through. Thankfully in modern times there are a wide range of solutions available.
There are two parts to teething that need consideration:
Firstly pain, as there is movement in the jawbone as the teeth move into the gum, this explains why you often see signs of teething long before the teeth actually appear. This pain vanishes as soon as the tooth breaks through the skin and the pressure is released. This pressure on the gum tissue known as the periodontal membrane, contain blood vessels and nerve endings and understandably this pressure from the emerging tooth can cause swelling. So this pain part can be handled with the usual medicines and over the counter teething gels and creams.
The second part that needs considering is the pressure and how to help them relieve it. This is why babies instinctively once they start teething begin to chomp and bite down on everything. This is how teething rings came about and in the 1600’s mothers were given bagels for babies to bite down on, it is also interesting that the phrase ‘born with a silver spoon in his mouth’ is also thought to originate from teething. Again we are fortunate that things have moved on and there are a wide range of teething toys now available, including Gumigem, which is a modern solution to this age old problem. Be wary of letting your baby chew on something hard, as many dentists feel there is a potential risk of wear on the teeth. I guess that is why we don’t see babies chomping on silver spoons anymore!
What else can you do?
One of the most effective things is to take your babies mind off the discomfort, giving lots of cuddles and playing, but this is not a tactic that can be employed in the middle of the night. Gently massaging your babies’ gums with a wet finger or soothing gels can ease discomfort. Or try the natural old fashioned remedies such as chomping on a bagel, bread or cooled vegetables from the fridge. Cool or freeze a facecloth and let your baby chew on it. You can even dip it in something like chamomile tea before cooling as it is known to have anti-inflammatory properties. Crush ice cubes or frozen breast milk and place in a hanky, secure it and let them chomp on that. Many people also rave about amber teething anklets which are thought to have anti-inflammatory properties.
With teething it is not just about dealing with the gums, there are the associated symptoms too. Although medical experts do not believe teething causes nappy rash, ask any mother and she would disagree. One of the best remedies we have had recommended for this is raw egg whites. If your baby becomes a dribbler while teething then barrier creams for the chin and neck may become essential to stop them getting sore.
Signs to look out for by Solomon Drury MD of Funky Giraffe Bibs
- dribbling more than usual
- flushed cheeks
- sore, red gums
- loss of appetite irritability and disturbed sleep restlessness
- chewing and biting on everything
Once your baby’s teeth come through it’s vital you take time to look after them correctly. So you need to start brushing their teeth right from the start with a small headed soft tooth brush. Try and make brushing time fun and register your little one with a dentist. You should also watch out for hidden sugar content in juices and some foods. Never feel tempted to put anything sweet in your baby’s bottle or on a dummy. Best stick to water in between feeds. Try and aim to introduce a cup, rather than a bottle as soon as possible. You can do this from about 6 months. When your baby is on solids, avoid giving sugary foods. It’s OK to do so now and again, but make sure you encourage your baby to drink water afterwards.
For more baby products visit: www.gumigem.co.uk and www.funkygiraffebibs.co.uk