4 Best Teething Remedies for a Baby

Teething pain is a common problem in babies which occur when their teeth (baby teeth) start emerging through the gums. It generally happens in between 6 – 8 months of age.

It causes a lot of pain and discomfort that makes your baby cry a lot, refuses to feed and stays irritable. Some teething signs are excessive drool, biting, fever, cold, decreased appetite, sleeplessness, rubbing chin or cheeks, fussiness, mild diarrhea, etc.

It is a hard time for both babies and parents. As a parent, everyone thinks that, is there any way out of this? Yes, there are many home remedies to soothe your little one’s pain and also relax you.

Home Remedies to Treat Teething Pain:

Here are some tips that help you to deal with your baby’s pain without causing any side effects. Have a look at these remedies and follow them to get rid of your baby’s teething discomfort.

Remedy – 1: (Cold)

Applying something cold will numb the gums and soothe the teething pain effectively. Here are some ways to give your baby a frozen effect for their teething pain.

• Freeze a clean washcloth and give it to your babies to chew them, which help to reduce swelling by numbing the area.
• For babies those who has lack of appetite should be feed with some soft and cool foods like homemade yogurt (probiotic help for healthy gut), applesauce, chilled pieces of fruits and vegetables (like banana, apples, carrots, cucumber, celery, plum, etc. if your baby starts eating solid foods).
• Wrap 1 – 2 ice cubes in a muslin cloth and tied properly. Give it to your baby to suck on these ice cubes.
• Fill your baby’s bottle with water and refrigerate it for few minutes. The cold from the nipple of the bottle along with cool water will help to relieve their teething pain.
• Refrigerate (not in a freezer) a metal spoon for few hours and put it on your baby’s gums to soothe the teething pain. This method is recommended by the American Dental Association for treating the baby’s teething problem.
• Fruit pops or vegetable juice pops will help to reduce the gum irritation and strengthen the baby’s immune system. Mix 1 cup each of fresh carrot and beetroot juices and pour it into ice pop molds (prefer with handles). Refrigerate it to freeze and remove it from the mold and give it to you baby to calm them.
• Never ever give your baby any frozen thing, as the contact with an extreme cold may cause some harm to their gums.

Remedy – 2: (Massage)

A simple massage with gentle pressure on the gums will help to soothe the baby’s teething pain and calm your fussy baby. Here are few ways of massaging their gums to soothe the teething discomforts.

• Rub all over the baby’s gums with your clean fingers using a gentle pressure for a minute. Initially, the baby resists it but they feel better while doing this massage. Rub it smoothly but not vigorously.
• Ginger acts as an anti-inflammatory that relieves the gums pain. Rub a small piece of ginger on your baby gums for few seconds.
• A vanilla extract helps to calm the nerves. Use it to rub the baby’s gums gently for a minute or two.
• The almond extract helps to soothe the pain. Stir few drops of almond extract in little water. Apply it on the baby gums and rub it gently to get rid of the pain and inflamed gums.
• Use some breast milk to rub on your baby’s gums for pain relief.

Note: Also, massage your baby’s face and jaw area in circular motions simply with your clean hand to give relief from outside.

Remedy – 3: (Chamomile)

Chamomile is an herbal remedy that widely used to soothe the baby’s teething pain. It calms and relaxes the nerves with its anti-inflammatory property. Here are few ways of using this chamomile for teething pain.

• Prepare a weak chamomile tea and freeze it in ice cubes tray. Then place this frozen tea cubes into a securely tied muslin cloth or mesh teether. Give it to your baby to gnaw on the bag.
• Give your baby 1 teaspoon of cool chamomile tea for every 4 – 5 hours.
• Simply rub with a clean finger that dipped in chamomile tea (or chamomile tincture) on your baby gums to get rid of the pain.
• Mix 2 – 3 drops of chamomile essential oil in 1 tablespoon of carrier oil (olive or coconut oil) and use a little mix to rub it on your baby’s gums, jaws and around the ears.
• Soak a clean washcloth and freeze it after wringing out excess water. Give it to your baby to gnaw on the cloth which helps to numb their painful area.
• Or you can use other herbs like rosehip, cloves or catnip, etc. for curing your baby’s teething pain.
• For kids above 1 year, use diluted clove oil to reduce their sore gums due to its analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. Mix 1 tablespoon each of coconut oil, olive oil, dried chamomile flowers and whole cloves in a pan. Heat it on low for 10-15 minutes and strain it. Use the clove oil mix to massage your baby’s gums.

Remedy – 4: (Baby Teethers)

Teether will give a comfort for your baby to gnaw on, as they give relief from the gums pain and pressure. But the only thing you should remember is that the teethers should not possess toxic ingredients like certain ingredients like polyvinyl chloride (PVC), Bisphenol A (BPA), latex, phthalates, lead, etc.

• Choose a teether that made of a wood or silicon or rubber (but not plastic) for your baby and your baby can easily hold these teethers. Also, there are some teething jewelry for moms like teething bling, made of FDA approved silicone for their babies.
• Also, use a solid or liquid-filled teether by placing it in the refrigerator for 15 – 20 minutes. for best results, always offer a chilled teether to your baby.
• There are some silicone teething necklace or amber jewelry like necklace, bracelet or anklet has been popular in recent years. Succinic acid in Baltic amber has an analgesic property that relieves pain but you should take some care while using these products.

Tips and Precautions:

1. Breastfeeding your baby will give relief from gums pain, as breast milk has a unique balance of nutrients that help the baby to recover faster.
2. Distract your baby from teething pain by giving them a warm water bath, cuddle time, playing with them outside or a short stroll, etc.
3. Wash the teethers or cloth toys regularly, as the baby’s use them to chew and if not washed properly then it might cause some health problem.
4. Consult the child’s specialist for treatment, if your baby’s teething problem is severe and suffering from symptoms other than pain and fever.
5. Always keep a clean cloth handy to clear your baby’s chin from excess drooling (a common symptom of teething) to get rid of skin irritation.
6. In sometimes, foot reflexology also helps to soothe your baby’s teething discomfort. Rub some warm oil on the baby’s foot gently for 2 – 3 minutes.

Have you tried any of these teething methods? Do you know any other teething remedies? Then share it with us in the below comments section.