Teething is one milestone parents might not be looking forward to as much as first steps or first words, but it's an unavoidable part of having a growing baby. Usually teething will start around six months old and continue as teeth break through sensitive gums. Fortunately, there are a number of ways you can soothe your baby's teething pain. In fact, here are all the tips and tricks you need to survive a teething baby.

Tip #1: Focus on the Gums

The first thing you can do to help with teething pain is massage sore gums with a cold washcloth. Just a little rubbing can help ease pain. Chilling the gums out with a frozen teething ring or a wet towel for them to chew on is also a good way and allows them to bite down where they want and when they want. If you want to give them relief and a snack you can freeze banana slices or vegetables to get an additional benefit from teething help. Watch your babies' gums and make sure there aren't small blood blisters forming on your babies' gums as this could be the source of the pain and not just teeth breaking through.

Tip #2: Hydration and Pain Relievers

Keeping the baby hydrated is a good way to help them stay healthy and allow them to fight pain easier. The coldness of water in a bottle will help soothe their gums as well. It's easy for a baby to get dehydrated when teething because it's often accompanied with a fever and drooling. Topical pain relievers are made for babies and are a good go-to solution on really bad days. Orajel is one of the most well-known, but there are a few choices. Dry the gums off before rubbing a small amount on the gums for pain relief.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned parents to avoid giving their babies teething tablets, especially the Hyland's brand, as they are known to contain varying amounts of belladonna. Belladonna is known to be extremely toxic to children.

Tip #3: Try a Century Old Teething Alternative

In Japan, babies are given wooden kokeshi dolls to chew on. These are wooden dolls without arms or legs. This wooden doll is coated with beeswax and makes a great alternative for a natural wood teething toy. This particular teething option is extremely popular when mothers prefer a more natural teething treatment than medication or teething gels.

Teething is an uncomfortable time for your baby. Unfortunately, it may also be uncomfortable for you if your child struggles to sleep because of the pain. Hopefully, one of these three tips will make teething a little easier on both you and your baby. For more information, contact pediatric dental clinics like Round Lake Dental Clinic.

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