How to Ease Teething Pain

When your child is teething, all of your normal calming techniques -- rocking, patting, shushing, swaddling -- seem to go out the window. It's a simple fact: teething hurts. You can ease your child's pain by putting pressure or cold objects on her gums, giving her medication or trying natural remedies.

Things You'll Need

  • Gauze pad
  • Washcloth
  • Teething toys
  • Bagel
  • Cloth diaper
  • Infant Acetaminophen or Ibuprofen

Instructions

    • 1

      Rub your baby's gums with a clean fingertip or a damp gauze pad. The pressure can ease the pain.

    • 2

      Give your baby something cold to chew on. Use a refrigerated teething toy, pacifier or a wet washcloth that you've put in the freezer for an hour. For babies who prefer room-temperature chewing toys, try common objects from around the house, such as wooden blocks, spoons or basic baby toys.

    • 3

      Give your child a food to chew on, if you've already introduced solid foods. This can help with teething pain, according to Mayo Clinic. A chilled bagel works well for most babies, but, if your baby refuses cold foods, try one at room temperature instead.

    • 4

      Dry up any drool often to prevent the additional pain of skin irritation. Leaving drool sitting on your baby's lips or chin can lead to red, chapped skin, which only makes the teething process worse.

    • 5

      Ask your doctor about giving your child either an over-the-counter topical anesthetic or an infant painkiller. Rub a small amount of topical anesthetic meant for teething babies on your baby's gums, or give your baby an appropriate dose of acetaminophen (older than 3 months) or ibuprofen (older than 6 months), as your doctor recommends.

    • 6

      Talk to your doctor about trying a natural remedy for teething pain. Natural options may include amber teething necklaces or homeopathic teething tablets.

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