When babies are teething: Signs and helpful home remedies

When babies are teething, it can be very painful for them. And parents usually don’t get much sleep during this time either. You can read about what brings your baby relief during teething and how to recognise teething discomfort here.

Signs of teething in babies

When your baby’s first teeth erupt, it’s a stressful time for everyone involved.

• The first tooth erupts between the 2nd and 12th month of life. By the age of 3, the baby’s teeth are complete with a total of 20 milk teeth.
• Some parents report that they hardly notice these teeth erupt. But most of us have to see our babies through this extremely painful time.
• If your baby is often fussy and drools more than usual, this can be a sign that teeth are about to erupt. You may also notice that your baby is chewing more on objects or on his or her own hands.
• The feeling of pressure and pain make the baby restless and sleep poorly. The feeling of hunger can also be restricted by the painful chewing.
• By now at the latest, you can feel the first tooth, if it is not already visible. It is good for your baby if you massage the irritated gums a little with your finger and apply light pressure.
• Some babies also react to teething outside the mouth and develop a fever or a sore bottom. Many parents are also familiar with the popularly known teething bumps. This is when there is a circular redness in the cheek area on the side where the tooth breaks through.

Home remedies when babies are teething

When babies are teething, home remedies and homeopathy usually help. With medicinal remedies, it is always advisable to have a brief consultation with your GP before using it.

• If the gums are swollen, it can help the baby to cool the areas. A teaspoon from the fridge can help quickly. There are also specially made teething rings that have a cooling gel inside. These are put in the freezer for a short time and then offered to the baby to chew on.
• Biting on hard edges of bread or a piece of firm vegetable is also good. However, please stay with the child when doing this. He or she could easily choke on a broken piece. Wooden teething rings are a good alternative.
• Brushing chamomile or sage tea on the sore parts of the mouth can also be beneficial. Take a cotton swab and soak it with the tea. If the pain is very severe, an anaesthetic gel like Dentinox can also help.
• Homeopathy has remedies such as Escatitona. Such teething drops or globules also reduce breakthrough pain.