Relief Of Teething Pain Differs By Child

The most complete relief for an infant’s teething pain will occur once all of the baby teeth have broken through the gums, but many infants and parents cannot wait that long. Like many things in life, teething is a natural part of life, and unfortunately, it can be an uncomfortable experience of an infant. There no magic formula to determine which of the 20 baby teeth will cause the most teething pain, nor is there any one treatment that works for all infants.

There are a few ideas that can be tried before calling the pediatrician to help relieve the teething pain in the baby, but looking in the infants mouth or feeling with a clean fingertip to make sure it is teething pain causing the child to complain is the first thing on the agenda. This can make sure that some of the signs of teething that may resemble other problems are actually caused by teething.

Sometimes simply rubbing lightly on the gums with a clean finger can relieve the teething pain as it helps the teeth break through the gums. Teething rings, typically made of soft rubber or plastic will take the place of a massaging finger and those filled with liquid may be cooled in the refrigerator to help diminish the teething pain being experienced.

Follow Pediatrician’s Advice Dealing With Pain

If some of the methods seem to have no effect on the baby’s teething pain, they may respond to acetaminophen, which should never be given to a child without the direction of the pediatrician. It should be used under a doctor’s care and only in the dosage approved. The pediatrician will know more about the infant can handle and should be consulted on all medical issues.

Other methods that may help alleviate teething pain include giving the child something cool to chew on such as a wet cotton washrag. The rag is not small enough to swallow and the dampness of the cloth may help replenish fluids lost if the infant is losing fluids through saliva while teething. Other infants may respond positively by chewing on smooth objects such as a finger or the handle of a hairbrush. Remember, that anything given to a child to ease teething pain has to be clean to avoid bacteria transfer.

Teething gels are not usually recommended, although they can offer instant relief for teething pain, the infant may reject the notion of having their mouth feel numb and their effects are short-lived. If swallowed, they can also reduce the infant’s gag reflex creating the possibility of other problems.