Cleaning New Baby Teeth – To Brush or Not to Brush

02. May 2007 · 1 comment · Categories: Health, Teething

Someone forwarded me a news story the other day, and I wanted to pass it on. As my son’s mouth seems to sprout a new tiny perfect tooth every other day, I’ve really been wondering: How much am I supposed to be cleaning in there? I personally use a little toothbrush with rubber nubs on it as opposed to bristles, and he doesn’t mind at all. In fact, the sensation makes him giggle. I figure it’s good to get him used to me being in there now, so when he’s got a mouthful of teeth, he won’t protest.

This article talks about the increase in tooth decay in very small children, so it’s an important one to take a look at.

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Taking the Bite Out of Teething

11. February 2007 · Comments Off · Categories: Remedies, Teething


Most babies cut their first tooth between the ages of 4 and 7 months.  Some babies breeze through the experience with not even a whimper to announce the new teeth.  But others – well, let’s just say others let us know with every ounce of their lung power.  It can be a frustrating time for parents who want to ease that discomfort as quickly as possible.  I told you in an earlier entry about teething tablets (see “When Teething Becomes a Pain…“), but it’s two teeth later in my baby experience, so I have a few more ideas for you.

Fortunately, my son is between teeth right now.  Although I can feel those little bumps on the top gums, there’s no sign they’re imminent.  The bottom two look great, and silence has prevailed (as best as an 8-month-old can muster) once again.  But he still has the great desire to chew, and the drooling is excessive to say the least.

There have been a lot of studies surrounding those baby teething rings with the funky smell.  You know the ones – they are usually a clear soft plastic with colorful figures on them.  The verdict is not clearly out as to whether or not these are safe, so we’ve decided to steer clear of them.  But there are some nice alternatives to try.

The first one is the carrot.  Yes, the carrot.  (This requires some close supervision, because as baby sprouts some teeth, he or she can scrape little bits off.)  What I recommend is to peel a nice organic carrot and cut it in half.  Give the fatter end as the teething toy.  This has been such a success in our house that if my son needs a diaper change or is even getting fed his lunch, he often refuses to let go of it!  We keep a dish in the fridge so it’s chilled.  It really seems to ease the discomfort.  (If you are using organic carrots, beware of giving them to a baby wearing white – the beta carotene content is higher in an organic carrot; even I experience orange hands after peeling some.)

A second idea is a small amount of chamomile tea.  If a teething baby seems to be having difficulty sitting still, is restless and won’t sleep because of teething, this works quite well.  I prepare it weak and give my son no more than an ounce in a cup or a bottle.  Not everyone feels confident giving their baby tea, but as far as herbs go, chamomile is definitely on the mild side.  Just don’t overdo it – it does have constipating properties if too much is taken.  On the upside of chamomile, it has mild cleansing properties that will eliminate the bacteria from baby’s mouth – another cause of teething pain, according to my dentist.

And speaking of my dentist, he recommends giving baby a cool damp washcloth to chew on (also closely supervised) to help remove bacteria from gums.  Or you can cleanse the gums yourself by gently rubbing them with the cloth, but actually chewing the cloth seems to be more enjoyable; and it sops up an awful lot of drool!

Teething is tough on parents and babies alike, but keep in mind – there are moments of peace between the new teeth!  They won’t just sprout one after the other without letting up, and usually the first few teeth are the toughest to get through.  Once those are out, they’re so cute and pearly, you may not even mind the chomp marks on your furniture!

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How to Relieve Teething Pain Naturally

30. October 2006 · 5 comments · Categories: Health, Remedies, Teething, Uncategorized

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PhotobucketMy 5-month-old has entered that stage when drooling and chomping on everything is his main pasttime.  Teething has begun.  So when he really started fussing and I could tell he was getting uncomfortable, I packed him up and set off to my local supermarket to see what I could find to help him relieve his teething pain naturally.

Whether you’ve been through the teething stage with your baby or just asked around, you know there are all kinds of possible solutions.  Many parents swear by Baby Orajel, a topical pain reliever rubbed on the gums.  Others like giving their baby a cold washcloth to knaw on.  And although not everyone agrees with this solution, still others like to apply a little Jack Daniels to the swollen gums.

I knew I wanted the most natural solution.  I read the Orajel box, which besides not being a natural remedy, stated you could only use it for seven days.   I figured my son would be teething for more than seven days!  Besides, I wasn’t certain how long the pain relief could last.  It might help him in getting to sleep, but I couldn’t imagine it’d be enough to get through the night.There were a few other comparable products, but nothing that impressed me.  It was then I found a little bottle of homeopathic teething tablets – something I hadn’t thought of.

I had never used homeopathic remedies.   Surprising for someone who likes the natural route, I know, but I was always skeptical.  They’re so small.  How could they possibly work?  Well, the box said 100% natural, and the company, Hyland’s, has been in business for 100 years.   Also, I figure with a baby, there’s no power of suggestion there.   If they feel better, something worked. No telling them it was all in their mind!

I took the tablets home.  The next time he started fussing and drooling, I put two under his tongue and kept my finger in there to make sure they stayed in place.  They melted almost immediately.  Within 20 minutes he stopped crying and fell asleep.The instructions do mention that if your baby falls asleep, it’s most likely due to the pain ceasing.  It’s not a baby sleep aid, in other words.  I’ve noticed if my son has really been crying or fussy due to teething, after taking these, he’s able to get to sleep rather quickly.

If you’d like to know more about these tablets, they do have a website at www.hylandsteething.com.   I was at the health food store this weekend, and I found they make several other homeopathic products as well.   I’m definitely keeping a bottle of these around for the duration of the teething process!

Also read my articles on chamomile and other natural remedies.

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