Does your toddler seem extra fussy lately? It could be that he or she is starting to teeth.
This is often a painful and uncomfortable process for children, so it’s important that you help them get through it with as little pain as possible. When they do start teething try these techniques to help minimize their pain:
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Keep teeth cool
Keeping toddlers’ teeth cool will help lessen the pain that they’re feeling from their teeth breaking through the skin. You can do this by giving them a cool, wet washcloth to chew on or by sticking a teething ring in the refrigerator and giving it to your toddler after it’s cooled down. This will also help counteract any swelling they may be encountering.
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Be prepared for excessive drooling
Teething makes toddlers drool much more than normal, so don’t be alarmed if their drooling seems to increase tenfold overnight. Be aware though that too much drool can end up irritating their skin, so it’s important to keep a cloth handy and wipe away as much of it as possible.
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Skip the frozen foods and stick to teething items
A lot of websites will tell you that you can give your child frozen foods such as carrots, bananas, or bagels to chew on while they’re teething, but these can actually end up being a choking hazard for them if a piece breaks off and they end up swallowing it. Stick to traditional teething rings; they’re designed to help your child and are a safer option than frozen foods.
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Massage their gums
Take your finger and massage their gums a few times a day to help ease some of the pain they’re encountering. It will help reduce some of the pressure they’re experiencing. You can also use some gauze or a washcloth to help massage their gums.
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Give them a lot of extra love
Toddler are in a lot of pain when they’re teething, so be sure to show them a lot of extra love during this time. As frustrated as you may be from hearing them cry, it’s important to remember that they’re crying out of pain and that they might just need some extra love and affection from their parents.
Soon enough the teething time will pass, so while it is happening just try to keep your little one as comfortable as possible. Giving them plenty of attention and hugs and kisses will help provide them with some extra comfort, and eventually it will all be a distant memory.
Got any baby teething techniques of your own? Do share it with the rest of us!
Author bio:
Jenny Ellis is a freelance writer, and a regular contributor for aupair jobs (Aupair.org). She welcomes your comments at: ellisjenny728(at)gmail(dot)com.
I hated the teething phase. My little ones sometimes ran a slight fever and would be so uncomfortable!!! I actually went through this a bit a few months ago when my youngest’s 6 year old mollers were coming in and it brought it all back! The one thing that was the hardest when they were babies was all that drooling! There were days when I ended up changing outfits a few times even though I would use bibs!!! Glad those years are done!! Thanks for a great article, as always!
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Kathy, I can’t imgaine you hating anything haha. But yeah the drooling stage.. Oh boy. I think they need sponges hung around their necks to while teething. Will that be enough?
This is great advice. One of the best things I ever learned is: understand where your child`s fussiness is coming from; is makes it sooo much easier to deal with. I certainly don’t miss the sounds of an infant teething at 3am:)
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Kenny, that’s great advice from you! Children are fusy for many reasons and knowing (why they are) is half the battle.
Great tips! I love the Hyland’s natural teething tablets. They worked for us
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Awesome!! Thanks for the recommendation, Annie.
These are wonderful tips, I think I have used many of them, when my kids were going through that phase.
They are great! Jenny wrote an informative post so thank you to her!
Great tips! My six month old daughter is teething for the first time and we’re all about the cool teething rings and occasionally, Orajel. I’ve also heard the massaging the base of their hands — the fleshy part right below their thumbs — is good for easing teething pain. It’s an accupressure technique. I’m not sure how well it works, but it’s worth a try!
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Thank you for the additional tips, am sure moms going through the teething stage with their babies will benefit from what you said.
Also, the fleshy part underneath the thumb works for me. I apply pressure on it when I have a headache.
One of my boys have a few teeth still to go but my other twin will be done anyday. I can’t wait for this phase to be over!
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Leigh, teething is uncomfotable (as we all saw our children go through that) and responding to all your comments is making me clench my jaw.
good luck with the teething phase and it will be over soon.
As always, great advice. I remember my friend’s son drooling through his clothes- really. No one can exaggerate how much hydration these kids lose from drool! Okay, I don’t know if that’s really true, but seems like it could be.
I do remember the teething stage being tough and the only thing that my kids wanted to do was nurse. But no mother should be the human teething tool for that long.
Great suggestions Anne!
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You nursed while your kids were teething? Wow, or should I say ouch!
Thanks for sharing those tips! The teething phase is definitely hard for children. I can’t help but remember during my son is coping up with it. Keeping the teaath cool and massaging the gums worked for him.
Thanks for sharing what worked for your boy, Blake. Hope to see you here more!
Ugh! Teething was the worst! My girls both struggled with it and would chew on anything and everything. I found that giving them frozen fruit to gnaw on helped. I realized there was a choking hazard there, so I bought a special netted item that the fruit was sealed inside of and there was a handle for them to hold onto. It was like eating a Popsicle of fruit without the danger of chunks getting into their mouth. I wish I could remember what that cool device was called. It worked beautifully. Now we just have the problem with baby teeth falling out faster than we can pay for them. I’m pretty sure the tooth fairy is gonna have to take out a 2nd mortgage to fund all these teeth! Haha!
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Love your healthy teething ring/snack idea, Rosann. And I’m sure someone out there has used the netted thing you used. Anyone?
2nd mortgage for falling teeth?! Haha! Boy, those teeth seem to be worth a lot. Can I send you over my teeth as well in case they fall off or something?
Thanks for the reminders! My just-turned-two-year-old is getting those awful two-year molars and they’re bothering him off and on. He got all of his teeth early and I always say that the whole family teethed along with him–especially at night!
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I know what you mean about the entire family teething along with your kiddo. Isn’t it so frustrating to watch kids get irritable over itchy and sometimes painful gums? Poor little things.
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ahh the teething phase. Right now we are in yet another teething phase… I thought we are so done with it. But a couple of days ago, I just discovered that her (back) molars are coming out… all four (2 down , 2 up) are cutting through all at the same time. But thank God she’s doing better compared to when she was teething when she was less than one! I do give her frozen thingies when she’s teething – frozen breastmilk and ice cream are good and are not choking hazards
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Frozen breastmilk and ice cream are definitely NOT a chocking hazard. The bonus is they are absolutely delicious too.
Wow thanks for this! My son isn’t teething yet, but we can see signs that he may be soon.
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At least you will be prepared already when he starts teething! Hope to see you around here more, Mish.
I so remember those days? Now those same teeth are falling out so I can put braces on the new ones! LOL
Haha! Aren’t you glad those days are over? But uhh, braces are a new adventure and I heard they’re painful to have in the beginning and every time adjustments are made.
hey everyone,
our son is going on 17 months now, and has his front teeth top and bottom, but now his back teeth top and bottom both are coming in all at once, and the last month or so has been really hard, him waking up every night crying and keeping us up at night with him tossing and turning… I’ve read all these tips and have tried them all, but I was just wondering what you guys thought of an old remedy that my wife’s mom keeps telling us to try, she says she swares by it and it works, but I think it’s crazy… she says to write his name and birthday on an egg and hide it in a dark place in his room and it’ll help him with teething… I know this sounds wierd, but I’ve actually seen things about this on the internet too
what do you guys think?
Hey Brad, that’s really interesting though I’ve never heard of it before. I usually don’t believe in old wives tales but if people swear by it then it worth a shot. Would you let me know how it works? Good luck!