Six ways to ease your toddler’s teething woes

It breaks our hearts to see our little ones in pain. One such phase is when they are going through teething as the teeth start to erupt from the gums. The process can be quite painful for your baby and may even cause symptoms like drooling, irritability, mild fever, some amount of crankiness and sore gums.

So how can you ease your toddler’s teething woes? Below are some of the measures that can be taken…

Use teething toys

You can get gel-filled teething rings and other soft yet squishy toys that your child can chew on. Make sure you clean these often and put them in the freezer so that they remain cool and sanitized. This will ensure that your baby’s gums are soothed as and when there is pain and swelling. Attractive colourful ones are a bonus.

Ensure that you check the toys for leakages every once in a while. In case there are any, you must replace it immediately so that the gel does not escape into your baby’s mouth. You can also give her a teething necklace that can be hung around the neck. In this way, it will not fall too often and remain clean as well. Remember to keep this necklace in the refrigerator when it is not being used.

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Keep some paracetamol handy

It would help to keep medication handy in case the pain and fever shoot up beyond control. While a small spike in temperature is to be expected, you will need to watch out for persistent loose motions and fever. In such cases, your baby is usually down with an infection that must be treated at the earliest. Usually, during the beginning of teething, she may insert fingers and other objects in her mouth (and ingest germs and dirt too in the process). Most teething babies are usually already crawling, which makes it difficult to stop them when they are exploring their world and putting things in their mouths. So always watch out for signs of infection. Please check with your paediatrician for the medicine.

Maintain dryness

With constant drooling, your child may be in pain and discomfort. This can also create the basis for gathering germs and infection. For this reason, you will need to keep your baby’s mouth dry. It would be a good idea to keep towels, tissues, other baby wipes at hand to wipe her face and jawline. It is important to do this so that there is no compromise on hygiene.

Encourage hard food

This would be a good time to all start giving the child hard food to chew on like carrots, chilled cucumbers, and beans. You can chop the ends and peel such vegetables so that her swollen gums and pain may be soothed. The hard food will also help your child develop a taste for such vegetables. Apples would be a good snack, especially when she is crying out of pain in the gums. In fact, you should travel with a small box of such fruits and vegetables so that you can hand them to your crying baby while going about your errands. They also come handy when your child’s teething toys are dirtied and dropped.

Rub the gums

One of the best ways to help in easing the pain would be by rubbing the gums of your baby. You should clean your fingers first and then do so when the baby is crying. You can also use a gauze pad for the purpose, which must be moistened first. A cold washcloth or even a spoon stored in the freezer can be given to the child to keep her gums cool and soothed.

Watch the diet

Make sure that you give food that will prevent the agony in your baby’s gums, instead of inflaming it further. Too much of potatoes, grains, and dairy can lead to swelling and pain. It would be a good idea to stay away from such food. Instead, focus on what has been well-pureed like boiled vegetables, seafood, and some healthy fats. This would act as a good diet for your child too. You should try butter and eggs as well. This will give the protein content required for healthy bones and teeth. Herbs like rosehip and chamomile can also be used in order to soothe gums. You can add them in powdered form to the baby food or even create pouches for the baby.

In order to soothe your baby during the teething trouble, ensure you keep a watch on the physical symptoms. Report to the doctor on time in case the symptoms do not abate.

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