Infants chew on things. It is one of the main ways they explore their environment. When your baby starts getting its first teeth, called eruption, they will chew even more. It is a way for them to get a little relief from the minor discomfort of eruption. This usually occurs between 3 and 6 months of age but can be earlier or later. Drooling and excessive chewing will accompany this time period.
At times the baby will experience greater discomfort, usually for 2 week periods at a time. It is this time that it is important to help them in the best way possible. One of the best is to have cooled chew rings on hand. This will help soothe and partially numb the gums. But avoid giving them anything frozen.
The baby’s gums are very sensitive and frozen toys can damage the delicate tissues. Always keep a few cool chew rings in the refrigerator. If you happen to have only a frozen one, allow it to cool for several minutes at the least.
You own cool finger can also be very comforting and soothing to the infants’s mouth. The following is good advice from Senders Pediatrics, an excellent kid-centered medical practice in Ohio:
Believe it or not, most children do not experience pain with teething. The most common symptom of teething is drooling and an increased desire to chew on things.
Some children will pull on their ears because the same nerves that control the jaws and the teeth provide sensation to the eardrum. In fact, the most common reason that children pull on their ears in the first year of life is that they are teething. Gums may appear swollen or bruised before teeth erupt.
If your child is uncomfortable, try vigorously massaging her gums for 2 minutes with your finger or a cool cloth. You can also try a giving your child a cold washcloth, teething biscuit or piece of chilled banana to “chew” on. Avoid foods that are frozen to avoid frostbite of the gums. Teething and Dental Care « Senders Pediatrics
Cool rings work. But what about giving the infants medication for the discomfort? We would normally advise against it. The above solutions of cooled chew rings or a cold washcloth is a much better approach.
WebMD addresses this issue of medication clearly and directly as well:
Besides fever, Roldan said, some other symptoms that should not be attributed to teething include: sores or blisters around the mouth, appetite loss and diarrhea that does not go away quickly. They all warrant a call to the pediatrician.
As for helping babies get through the misery of teething, George advised against medication, including topical gels and products that are labeled “natural” or “homeopathic.”
In the Life Health section of the Cornwall Standard Freeholder, the advice is close to the same:
Parents’ common dental questions | Cornwall Standard Freeholder
Teething pain may be soothed by giving the baby a cool teething ring or washcloth to suck on. Local anesthetic freezing creams — available over the counter at pharmacies — should not be used in children. Sometimes, giving your baby acetaminophen drops orally may help with the pain. Your health-care provider or pharmacist can provide you with the correct dosage and specific instructions. Parents’ common dental questions | Cornwall Standard Freeholder
Our pediatric dentists agree with this advice. Please consult your dentist before giving any medication to your child. The above advice is followed up by almost identical advice from mouthhealthy.org, by the American Dental Association:
Your child may have sore or tender gums when teeth begin to erupt. Gently rubbing their gums with a clean finger, a small cool spoon, or a moist gauze pad can be soothing. A clean teething ring for your child to chew on may also help.
Are Numbing Gels Safe For My Baby?
The Food and Drug Administration recommends that parents and caregivers not use benzocaine products for children younger than 2, except under the advice and supervision of a health care professional. Benzocaine is an over-the-counter anesthetic, usually under the product names Anbesol, Hurricaine, Orajel, Baby Orajel and Orabase. Benzocaine has been associated with a rare but serious—and sometimes fatal—condition called methemoglobinemia, a disorder in which the amount of oxygen carried through the blood stream is greatly reduced. Teething Signs and Symptoms – American Dental Association
The last three referenced articles provided almost the same identical advice. While we would normally quote only one, in this case why did we quote all three? To show the seriousness of not using medication with an infant unless directly provided by a pediatrician.
Our pediatric dentists recommend cool chew rings which can be all that is needed for your infant to get him or her through the brief period of discomfort. Remember cool, but not freezing cold, Along the same lines, do not ignore excessive fussing either.
And do not ignore a fever over 100.4 degrees. If your child develops a fever over this temperature or if it lasts longer than a brief period of time, please call your pediatrician. It likely is not a result of teething. Infections happen at this stage of a baby’s development and eruption and opening of the gums adds to the chances of infection.
Have fun with this time in your baby’s life. It only happens once (and we’re happy for that). So take the time to enjoy it. Take a few pictures and send them to family. Try to get extra sleep when you can and just help your little on get through it. Call us when your little one reaches 6-12 months of age or has at least 4 little pearly whites visible.
webmd_logo.svg image courtesy webmd.com
1297805997287_ORIGINAL.jpg?quality=80&size=650x&stmp=1455737679151 image courtesy standard-freeholder.com
article_baby_teeth.jpg?h=315&la=en&w=450&hash=01E940603DBB10556B16E83E0549FDA08A84D039 image courtesy mouthhealthy.org
Full Post Can be Found Here: Fountain Co Dentist – Teething Rings or Medication
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