Teething is usually a very painful experience for babies. Babies as early as 3 months old or as late as 12 months old can cut their first tooth. The average age is 6 months old for the first appearance of a tooth. Each baby's experience of teething is different. Some babies suffer immensely when a new tooth erupts and others seem to sail through teething. Some babies show telltale signs of teething such as swollen and red gums, whereas other babies just show off their new tooth without any fuss at all.
How do you know if your baby is teething? There are some telltale signs that may indicate that your baby is teething: Drooling, Face rash (caused by drooling), Throat-clearing, Chewing and biting (biting down on any hard surface for relief), Irritability, Diarrhea, Low grade fever, Reluctance to eat, Disruption in sleep, Ear pulling.
What can you do to help your teething baby? Teething can make some babies quite miserable, making their parents want to do anything they possibly can to help them seek relief from their discomfort. There are three main categories for relief - application of cold, counter-pressure and pain relievers.
Application of cold. To provide some cold relief, offer your baby a teether cold from the refrigerator or a cold wash cloth that has been in the freezer for a few hours. Both are great as they are cold but also provide some counter-pressure to the gums. If you choose to use a wash cloth, soak it in some herbal tea prior to teething. Some evidence suggests that the herbal tea will help fussy babies sleep and calm down. There are also little mesh bag soothers that can be filled with pieces of fruit and frozen. The baby can chew on the soother and have relief with the cold but can also suck on the fruit. You can also freeze a full-size carrot and give that to your baby to gnaw on. Even giving your baby chilled fruit puree may be enough to provide some relief.
Counter-pressure. Pressure on a baby's gums helps to distract the baby from the pain sensation of teething. Try the application of cold first but if those are rejected, try a ridged teether at room temperature. You can also buy teethers that vibrate, light up and play music which provide a great distraction. If one teether doesn't work, try at least one other to see if he or she has a preference. You can also try a very simple act: rub a clean finger over your baby's gums until there is a squeaky sound from the friction. The pressure will feel good on your baby's gums and he or she will probably like the sound that your finger makes.
Medication. If the other methods just don't seem to be working, medication is a last resort. You can buy a topical gel or cream that numbs the gums. These can be purchased over the counter at drugstores. Beware of ingredients, because many are unsafe for young children. These topical medications may not work as well because it will not stay where you put it, so other parts of the mouth and throat may become numb. There are painkillers that should provide relief for your baby. Most will be of the right strength for babies. Note that you should typically only use some of these if your baby is over six months of age. No medication should be given to a baby that is less than three months old without the permission of a doctor. Some painkillers should never be given to anyone under nineteen years of age, so it means that you need to carefully read all instructions.