Tried and Tested Teething Suggestions
Teething: what to expect
Teething is when your baby’s first teeth start to push through their gums. And once the first tooth ‘erupts’ (that’s dentist-speak for when a tooth breaks through the gums), the other teeth will start appearing at the rate of about one a month.
Every child will experience teething in a slightly different way, but the general signs that a new tooth is about to come through are:
- Swollen gums
- More dribbling than usual
- Hot red cheeks
- Irritability
- Wanting to chew on anything and everything
Generally, these things and any pain associated with teething will go away once the tooth is visible. And if your child shows symptoms other than those above - such as fever - it’s probably not due to teething so you should consult your doctor as usual.
If you’d like to get an idea of what teeth your child will grow and when, just take a look at our Tooth Timetable.
What you can do to help
Teething can be a tough time for babies and for parents. But the good news is there are plenty of things you can do to help your baby cope.
- Extra cuddling can help comfort them
- Giving them a chilled (but not frozen hard) teething ring to chew on can soothe sore gums
- Sugar free infant teething gels can reduce the pain, but be aware that some contain a local anaesthetic.
- Alternatively, you could try infant liquid paracetamol – read the label first though to check it’s right for your child.
- If your baby is dribbling a lot you can help prevent soreness and rashes by applying petroleum jelly or aqueous cream around their mouth and chin, and wipe their mouth regularly.
- Never rub alcohol on your baby’s gums or place an aspirin against the tooth or gum.