Many parents aren’t comfortable giving their little teething babies teething gel, especially when they hear about the rare, but serious side effects that can occur. Back before teething gels were invented, many parents used natural methods to calm their teething babies. Fortunately, for those parents that don’t want to give their teething babies drugs, there are many natural teething remedies to choose from. The teething baby boy pictured to the left would be a great little spokesman for the natural teething baby association as he happily soothes his aching gums with a carrot. While I do list some natural teething remedies below, it’s pretty likely that I passed over some good ones. If you know of a good, natural teething remedy that I didn’t mention, please write about it in the comments section below.
Eight Natural Teething Remedies to Help Your Teething Baby
1 – Teething Biscuits. Many parents love using teething biscuits to calm their teething babies. Be sure to choose a teething biscuit that is healthy for your little one. When used in moderation, teething biscuits shouldn’t adversely affect your little one’s oral health.
Want to learn more about teething biscuits? Read Teething Biscuits: A Natural Way to Calm Your Teething Baby.
2 – Frozen Teething Rings. Cold items such as teething rings can alleviate the pain that a teething baby experiences.
3 -Frozen Carrots & Bananas. Frozen bananas are a sweet treat that can ease your baby’s sore gums. If your baby chews on a frozen carrot, only small bits of carrot come off at a time. Some parents don’t want to give their children frozen objects because they don’t want to inadvertently freeze their baby’s gums by giving them something so cold. If you want to play it safe, just go with a cold carrot, as pictured above.
Important – Any time you give your baby something to eat, you must stay with them at all times to help prevent choking.
4 – A small, cold metal spoon. You can either keep some spoons in the refrigerator, or put a small metal spoon in a glass of ice water. Your teething baby can then hold the spoon and bite down on it to help soothe their irritated gums.
5 – A cold, damp washcloth. Some parents have found that their baby enjoys chewing on a frozen damp washcloth or a cold, wet washcloth.
6 – Dried Fruit. Many parents advocate the use of dried apples to help ease teething troubles. Any dried fruit that allows the child to chew can help alleviate teething problems. Keep in mind that you should use dried fruit in moderation, as it can cause tooth decay.
Want to know which of the six kinds of fruit are bad for your child’s teeth? Read Is Fruit Good or Bad For Your Teeth? It Depends.
7 – Ice chips in a clean baby sock. Some parents have found that by putting small ice chips in a baby sock, and then tying off the sock, they can give their baby something cold without the risk of their baby’s gums getting too cold.
8 – Gently rub your baby’s gums with your finger. I’ve tried this with my children and it seemed to help them, although my daughter has bit me before! It didn’t hurt too much however due to the lack of teeth. Holding your baby and massaging their gums with your finger can also provide comfort to your teething baby during this hard time.
Beware of Possibly Dangerous Natural Teething Remedies
The internet is an interesting place. Almost anybody can say anything about any topic under the sun. It is important to know that although teething does cause some irritation in your child, it’s probably a good idea to not use any unproven homeopathic remedies. Dr. Steven Pray, a professor at the College of Pharmacy at Southwestern Oklahoma State University has said, “Parents or caregivers should be cautioned against use of unproven and potentially dangerous teething remedies such as homeopathic teething tablets containing belladonna, coffee, magnets, tea tree oil, anise seed, clove oil, and cantharides.” Use your common sense when dealing with your teething baby. Many parents simply look for a quick fix to their baby’s teething troubles, possibly putting their precious baby at risk.
What Do You Do to Help Your Teething Baby?
Do you have any other suggestions to help the parents that are reading this post be able to more effectively calm their teething baby? Do you have any questions, comments, or concerns? I’d love to hear what you have to say in the comments section below – Thanks for reading!
The short answer to this question is no. Your baby does not need teething biscuits. Certain babies may not be ready for solid foods such as teething biscuits. As a parent, you know your baby better than anyone else and can probably make the best decision as to whether or not teething biscuits are right for your child. Here are a few advantages to teething biscuits:
