Teething Symptoms and How to Treat Them

Teething is what your baby experiences when her first set of teeth begins to appear.

Some babies will go through this event without a problem. However, other babies will experience discomfort.

To tell when your baby is about to enter this phase of growth, this article describes the teething symptoms to be aware of. Then if you think your baby is experiencing these symptoms, some pain relieving remedies and guidelines will be presented to help you soothe your baby.

To determine if your baby is teething, ask yourself a few questions. Does she appear to be fussier? Is she crying at night? Does she cling to you? Is she dribbling or drooling in excessive amounts? Is she chewing on her fingers or objects?

Are her gums red, swollen or inflamed? Does she demand more breast or bottle feeding? On the other hand, does she reject breast or bottle feeding because you think the sucking is hurting her gums?

Now that you know what to look for if you think your baby is having discomfort due to teething, here are a few things you can do to help soothe her.

? Massage her swollen gums with your finger using a gentle touch (wash your hands thoroughly first).

? Place a frozen washcloth soaked with apple juice in your baby's mouth. (The washcloth must be clean before being soaked, the excess juice wringed out and tied in a knot. Put it in the freezer for one-half hour).

? Let your child gnaw on a Popsicle, a chilled but not frozen teething ring or a frozen banana.

? Give your baby Acetaminophen (Tylenol) for a few days if your baby is uncomfortable, or

? Give your baby Baby Advil (Ibuprofen) if Acetaminophen isn't working. Ibuprofen may be better because it contains an anti-inflammatory component and Acetaminophen does not.

If your baby is less than four months old, don't apply lotions or ointments that claim to soothe the teething pain. They may have ingredients that wash out of the mouth in a few minutes and could numb your baby's throat resulting in choking.

It doesn't matter how convincing your friends or relatives sound, but NEVER, under any circumstances, place alcohol into your baby's mouth. A "dab of whiskey" is NOT okay. Alcohol is a poison to a young baby. Don't do it.

Now that you've been made aware of the symptoms of teething and the ways you can comfort your baby when it happens, you should have the confidence and knowledge to handle this with ease. Good luck and enjoy the rewards of parenting!

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