Managing The Child’s Teething Discomfort

Teething is the natural process every child goes through but it is the process which can turn out to be pretty painful. During this process, 20 primary teeth erupt through gums gradually over the course of 3 years.

The eruption of teeth can cause your baby to bite, gnaw, drool or rub their ears. The discomfort of teething can also result in swelling in gums, disrupted sleep patterns, and reduce appetite.

Now, parents usually go to the dentists to get instructions in order to manage these teething sessions. Since teething is a natural process, there is no need for medical care unless this process is causing diarrhea, rashes, fever and severe irritation. All you need to do here is to provide comfort to your baby because this discomfort is the very reason for all the issues which can be considered as consequences of teething. A few things that you need to take into consideration in this regard are as under.

Cold items for gnawing

The baby gnaws just to get comfort for the sore gums. Thus, it would be the good idea to provide cold items that your baby can gnaw. The items may include teething ring, wet cloth, or a pacifier. You will need to chill these items before giving them to your baby.

Massaging the gums

Massaging the gums with your finger can be the great way to provide your baby with some pain relief. You can use your finger for massaging the gums but you have to make sure that your finger is clean. The massaging can help in counteracting with the throbbing pressure which comes from the gums due to teeth eruption. Although numbing is generally useful for the adults, you will have to avoid using numbing agents on the baby’s gums.

Over-the-counter medications

While making sure that dosages are age-appropriate for your baby, you can give your baby the medications such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen. However, you have to make sure that you are not massaging the gums of your baby using alcohol or other pain relievers because these items can burn the sensitive skin. You may go for the use of only Benzocaine, which is a numbing agent, but you have to get recommendation from the dentist or healthcare specialist prior to using the agent.

Apart from everything you do, you have to make sure that you are taking your baby to the dentist on regular basis because teething period needs to be monitored.