If your baby is suddenly irritable, drooling up a storm, and putting everything they can get their hands on in their mouth, chances are they’re teething. From around three months until upwards of age two, teething is a persistent nemesis for babies and their parents. While there’s no way around breaking in those important baby teeth, and although it’s painful (for everyone), there are some ways to make baby more comfortable when teething is at its worst.

Teethers

First, give them safe comforting toys to chew to oblivion. Teething babies love chewing and sucking on things – it provides them with relief and distraction not to mention develops their fine motor skills as they’re constantly putting things in their mouths. Just make sure the materials teethers are made from are safe! Chewbeads has really cute teethers in muted colours and varying textures, as well as lovely necklaces for mom. There are also beautiful wooden teethers and the ever-popular Sophie the Giraffe made from natural rubber and food paint.

Pain Relief

Babies can benefit from low-grade pain relief by wearing teething necklaces made from amber. These cute necklaces and bracelets actually release tree-based succinic acid into the skin, acting as a natural anti-inflammatory. Baby’s swollen gums will find relief and they’ll look adorable!  When pain is at its worst, massage the gums with a clean wash cloth from the freezer. The cold and gentle pressure will sooth baby’s gums right away. There are teething tools that do an excellent job of this as well – check out Zoli Chubby Gum Massager Sticks or the RazBaby textured soother.

When baby’s pain is peaking, there are some stronger ways to sooth their pain. You can try homeopathic remedies such as Camilia and Homeocan Kids 0-9 oral solutions. These liquid solutions sooth the whole mouth without dyes or preservatives. There’s also pain relief on contact, with Baby Orajel that you apply right to the swollen gum. As with most remedies, start with the most gentle and work your way up if pain persists.

For New Teeth

And when those little teeth finally do appear, don’t forget to keep them clean! I like the Nuk 3 sided finger brush and fluoride-free tooth paste, which is safe for ages three months and up. There are also some really cute child tooth brushes which are safe enough for baby to use herself, like the Baby Banana Infant Tooth Brush. The Canadian Dental Association reminds us that unless a child is at high risk of tooth decay (which is to be determined by a dentist), they do not need fluoride tooth paste until over age three, so make sure you’re using fluoride-free tooth paste for your little ones!

Have your kids gone through teething? What are your tips and tricks? Let us know in the comments!