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Teething tips for new parents – A teething baby is a new parent’s worst nightmare. The drooling, crankiness and endless crying are enough reasons to drive both mum and dad insane. But there is solace in the fact that teething is temporary, and after this phase comes a beautiful, radiant smile from your little angel! Here are our best teething tips:

When does teething occur?

The time to teethe varies, but most babies begin the ordeal between 4 and 7 months, and some even start teething from as young as 3 months old. It is usually the two bottom front teeth (lower central incisors) that appear first, followed by the two front teeth (upper central incisors).

Teething Tips: Symptoms

Symptoms of a teething baby include loads of crying, red cheeks and of course, rough little nubs pushing out from gums! (Very exciting.)

Besides the classic signs of teething symptoms, parents should also pay attention to whether their babies are chewing objects or showing regular signs of irritability. Inflamed or tender gums are also a red flag for teething, as well as a slight increase in temperature – not a fever – and difficulty when it comes to sleeping.

Thankfully, after years of trial and error from parents, new parents are spoilt for choice when it comes to soothing sore gums. Preparation for teething can save the parents and baby a lot of stress.

Teething Tips: Remedies

Rub your baby’s gums with a cold cloth or a clean finger. The pressure of either the cloth or a finger does offer a lot of comfort.

By keeping a spoon or teething ring in the freezer to chill, parents will always be one step ahead when the little one starts acting up because of sore gums. Do not dip these items into any sugary substances to avoid cavities. 

Many parents also use frozen foods or fruit to ease the pain – whether its waffles or a cup full of cut-up frozen fruit, it does the job and acts as a healthy snack for children too.

Parents who have babies who aren’t interested in chewing on frozen items have also succeeded with toothbrushes. Not only is it effective, but it gives children a head start on getting familiar with brushing their teeth. Keep a close eye on them, however, just in case choking occurs because once they do have teeth, they will be able to pull out the bristles. 

The teething necklace is a popular purchase for new parents. The necklaces are made from Baltic amber or fossilised tree resin and are meant to trigger a small release of oil that contains succinic acid, which is then absorbed into the bloodstream. The absorbed oil, researchers say, has a numbing effect on swollen gums.  

Unfortunately, there are parents who are convinced that the necklace has no effect at all, but leaves a rash around the baby’s neck instead because of the uncontrollable drool. It is also said to be a choking hazard, which is why parents rather opt for something else.

Teejel, Prodol and Ashton and Parsons powder are usually the three products that parents feel work best. Teejel is a gel and treatment for the effective relief of teething pain with analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. Prodol aids sore gums, fever blisters, and other denture irritations. A major plus about this product is that it is sugar-free. Ashton and Parsons Powder is the go-to traditional herbal medicinal product – especially for parents who wish to give their child only natural medicines. All of these items can be bought over the counter and are affordable too.

Sometimes teething is blamed for infancy issues such as diarrhoea and fever. Doctors are constantly making new parents aware that common symptoms of teething do not include high fevers, vomiting, seizures, diarrhoea, coughing or signs of a cold. A healthcare provider should be contacted if these symptoms are present.

Teething can also keep parents out of sleep, because you never know what time of the day inflamed gums can impact your baby the most. Be aware that this process does also have its emotional downfalls for both the parents and the baby.

With each new tooth, parents can rest assured that it gets easier. Teething is usually most painful for the first two to four teeth. The experience is new for the child and therefore does have them feeling scared of what is happening to their gums. 

Parents easily resort to feeling helpless, with the added uncertainty of how to take the pain away or how long it will last. It is never easy to see your child in such agony, which is why parents should be more conscious of how they react when the baby is struggling. The calmer you are, the quicker your baby will settle down. It isn’t always that easy with a screaming baby, but it isn’t impossible either.

Affinity Dental, there are three tiers of dental insurance available at different price points. Each of these options covers specific specialist work to various degrees. 

Kids and grown-ups all need to visit the dentist at least once every six months. Maintenance appointments can start to add up in your budget.

Dental insurance covers you for any additional treatments such as crowns, root canals or fillings, whether at the dentist, or specialist practice.