Natural Teething Remedies Are Better For Babies Than Chemical Teething Medications

When baby is around six months old, the milk teeth will start to emerge through the gums. This is clearly a painful episode and causes much discomfort. Though there are many gels and medications now available, the best way to treat this is with natural teething remedies.

An early sign that baby is teething is starting to chew on their toys, fingers, or pretty much any object they can get hold of and put in the mouths. As such, it is good to give them something healthy to chew on.

Pieces of raw fruit and vegetable are excellent here, whilst it also works to familiarize them with these excellent foodstuffs. Bread or bread sticks are also good, but many prefer apple, pear, carrot and cucumber.

If this is your chosen route, it is important to steer clear of sugary foods. Even at this early stage, baby can suffer with tooth decay, which should be avoided at all costs. Whenever baby is eating or chewing on anything, it is essential that somebody supervises them at all times to ensure they do not get into any trouble and begin to choke.

Although foods are effective natural teething remedies, so too are drinks. Cool drinks will help soothe baby's gums, and can be particularly useful if they are dribbling excessively. Simply using cool water is often the best way forward here, but anything sugar free can be considered.

It is important to understand that it should be cool liquid, not cold straight from the refrigerator. This will be too shocking for baby at this stage. It is also important not to use sugar laden drinks, again for the risk of causing tooth decay at such an early age.

Often, the best of all natural teething remedies do not involve baby's mouth at all. Surprised? It's actually quite true. Often all baby needs is a little comforting, a hug, and someone just being there for him or her.

Playing with your baby is also an excellent distraction. As when we take our mind off of something troubling us, so too this works with teething. Introducing something for them to do, with games and shiny or colorful things is really effective. Sometimes, if baby is irritable or tired this may not work however.

The symptoms of teething can be alleviated through cleaning too. This will have a soothing effect as baby's gums will be massaged of course, but is also important to ward off tooth decay. At first, using a piece of gauze will be enough, but as more teeth appear, a specially designed toothbrush should be used.

Babies can become very cranky when they are cutting their first teeth and it is tempting to use commercial teething medications to soothe them. However these can contain several powerful chemicals which baby is better off without. Visit me at natural teething remedies to discover better options to help baby through this difficult time. Wendy Owen(HH Dip)is a holistic health therapist.

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Top 26 Tips to Help When Your Tot is Teething

There are no hard and fast rules about what remedies will work for your child, particularly when you are looking for drug-free alternatives to relieve the miseries of teething. The following 26 tips from Little Sunflowers have been compiled from our own experiences and those of our customers, together with guidance from all around the internet. Some may work for you and some may not - but they're all worth a go! Keep trying different things until you find something which works for your child.

1. Cuddles are the most important thing you can give your teething child to comfort and reassure them - tender loving care goes a long way when your little one's teeth are hurting.

2. Cold foods, such as yogurt or fruit puree can help to numb the pain.

3. A cold drink can soothe the whole mouth so pop a bottle of boiled water, breast or formula milk into the fridge and offer it to your baby when it's cold (though not too cold as you don't want a tummy chill).

4. A weak chamomile infusion, or weak chamomile tea, is useful as a gentle sedative. Offer it to your baby from a bottle.

5. Plenty of water or heavily diluted juice should be given to your baby to replenish fluids when they are dribbling a lot.

6. A wet flannel which has been rung out and chilled can bring relief to a baby who is keen to chew on something - the rough texture really seems to help.

7. 2 drops of chamomile in 15ml of aloe vera gel can be used to massage the child's jaw and neck area.

8. Lightly massage your baby's gums with a clean finger the part that is sore will often feel hot to the touch and you will probably be able to feel the tooth coming through under the surface.

9. Dilute 1 drop of clove oil in 2 tablespoons of safflower oil and gently massage the affected area 2-3 times a day.

10. Rub your baby's gums with a small gauze pad - not only will this bring relief, but it will get your child used to the sensation of what it's like to have his or her

teeth cleaned.

11. Try a baby teething gel massaged across the gums for babies older than four months (recent articles expressing concern about using gels for this purpose referred to adult gels rather than those designed for babies.) Ensure you check the dosage and expiry date.

12. Crush a little ice and put it in a thin cotton cloth, then rub gently on the gums. Ensure ice doesn't come into direct contact with the gum, and ensure you keep the wrapped ice moving (children who hold frozen items against their gums for too long can actually get frostbite).

13. Chill some pieces of fruit or vegetables, wrap them in muslin and give them to your baby to chew under supervision.

14. Sterilised teething rings can provide temporary relief for the baby and actually help the teeth to cut through. Try one that's been chilled in the fridge for greater relief (or even gel-filled rings which can work well when they've been cooled in the fridge).

15. Chill a metal spoon in the fridge and allow your child to chew on it under supervision.

16. Allow your child to bite on the knuckle of your forefinger held sideways - it'll bring them comfort an hurt a lot less than you think!

17. Homeopathic Teething Granules contain soothing chamomilla, a traditional homeopathic remedy for teething pain in an easy-to-use form. They are available in your High Street Chemist - always read the label.

18. Consult a Homeopath, who will who will be able to recommend a number of remedies to relieve the symptoms associated with teething.

19. An amber teething necklace can be worn against the skin to calm and relax a teething child - these necklaces have been worn for generations across Europe in countries like Germany and Switzerland, though it is quite a new concept in the UK.

20. Make teething biscuits by mixing 1 cup of flour with 1 cup of baby cereal and 1 cup of juice. Roll out, cut into shapes, then bake at 350 degrees F for 20-30 minutes. Allow your baby to chew on them (when you are there, in case a small piece breaks off). These biscuits freeze well.

21. Chill carrot sticks, cucumber sticks or bread slices in the fridge and allow your baby to chew on them (only when you are there, in case a small piece breaks off). Avoid anything too hard as they could bruise the gums and make things more painful.

22. Distract your baby with something to play with or a change of scenery to divert their attention from the pain. There are a number of teething toys on the market with a dual purpose: your baby can chew on them and they are a distraction from their teeth. Examples include organic teething toys and rattles incorporating a ring and/or knots which can be rubbed against the gums. Sophie the Giraffe has been around for generations - she is made from natural Alpine rubber and non toxic paints and is designed for baby to chew as well as play with.

23. Keep a soft bib around your baby's neck and change it often to soak up dribble, thereby keeping the skin dry and so avoiding a rash.

24. Apply a simple barrier cream to sore chins to keep the skin smooth and ease any chapped skin.

25. Consult a cranial osteopath. Cranial osteopathy is a subtle type of osteopathic treatment using gentle techniques to release strain and tension in the body. It is particularly effective for young babies suffering with teething and colic.

26. Medicine (analgesic) designed especially for babies, such as Calpol or Nurofen, can be given to babies who are three months old or more to help relieve the pain and bring down a raised temperature. Always read the label, and check with your doctor and/or health visitor if a raised temperature persists. Follow your doctor's instructions and never give aspirin to a baby.

These tips are part of the Little Sunflowers Guide to Teething, which you can download free from the Little Sunflowers blog at http://littlesunflowers.blogspot.com/2010/01/help-my-baby-is-teething-what-should-i.html

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How Do I Ease My Baby's Discomfort While Teething?

Babies usually grow their first few teeth between 4- 7 months. Their teeth will continue to grow out until about 3 years of age or when they have completed the set of 20 milk teeth. Babies usually experience discomfort during teething especially during the growth of the first few teeth at the bottom gums. During this period, babies may loose their appetite, drool excessively and chew on their hands, toys and practically everything they get their hands on.

Parents should not fret when their babies start chewing on their toys because this helps the teeth break out to the surface. During this period, you must make sure that the baby's hands are clean and the toys surrounding him/ her have passed the highest safety standards.

To help ease your baby's discomfort, make sure to get him/her a teething toy that is easy to chew on but won't break even when your baby chews or pulls excessively on it. Some babies find comfort in using pacifiers. If you decide to let your daughter use a pacifier, make sure it comes in a single-piece to prevent choking. Pacifiers with separate parts may cause choking because of detachable parts. Still there are many babies that need varying textures to satisfy the need to chew.

You can get them specially designed teething toys that come in different sizes. You can also buy a good teething toy that has different shapes, texture and sizes incorporated into the toy so that the baby will find which part of the toy it is most fun and comfortable to chomp on. There are plenty of babies who can be fussy when they are teething and many of them easily gets bored with simple rubber teethes.

The Baby Whoozit Touch and Teethe Ring is a good teething toy because it is a fun and educational toy and a teething toy at the same time. The Baby Whoozit Touch and Teethe Ring comes in bright colors. The center of the toy is surrounded by soft teething material with different textures and various colorful beads. The toy was designed to offer a fun distraction to the baby's discomfort. It is very easy to grip and has various shapes and textures that most babies love. The toy also encourages play and discovery and helps develop eye-hand coordination and the baby's motor skills. You can purchase the toy even if your baby is not teething yet because as a toy, it already offers a lot of value. The toy includes fun sounds, rings, a squeaker and a mirror.

Whatever teething toy you choose to purchase for your baby, just make sure you check that the toy is safe. You can also help ease your baby's discomfort by rubbing his/her gums and by using special teething gels. Most of the time, you wouldn't really have a need for over-the-counter teething gels or other special methods to ease pain because a soft but sturdy teething toy is usually enough to ease your baby's discomfort during teething.

The author has been writing online articles since 2006 as well as publishing websites on a number of topics since 2004. Check out the latest website at http://mcdonaldsfreecoupons.com which helps people find the best McDonalds free coupons deals as well as the information they might be searching for before getting McDonalds free coupons.

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