It can be difficult when your baby is going through the teething stage. They’re feeling pain or discomfort and they can’t understand what’s happening or why. It can lead to sleepless nights for both of you. But there are some things you can do to help them through it and ease their discomfort. Read on for our top teething tips…

How to recognize teething

First, how can you tell when your baby is teething? They usually start to get their first teeth around the age of 4-8 months. A teething baby is likely to try chewing whatever they can get their hands on, including their own hands. They may also drool more and have swollen gums. Here are some other teething signs to look out for:

• Loss of appetite
• Diarrhea
• Irritability
• Rubbing their ears
• A rash around their mouth
• A slight increase in temperature

How to ease teething pain

When teething, your baby likes to chew on everything because it provides some kind of relief from the discomfort in their gums and can distract them from any pain. So, providing them with something safe to chew on can be a good outlet for this behavior. Teething toys are designed to be safely chewed on, and some can be cooled first to really soothe the gums.

Another good option is giving them a stick of raw carrot or a slice of apple to chew on, for example. Or you can simply try rubbing your baby’s gums with your finger to relieve the discomfort. Dip your finger in cold water first to soothe their gums.

If your baby is really struggling with teething pain, then over-the-counter painkillers can help to relieve it a little. Just make sure that they are suitable for the baby’s age. This can especially be helpful if the pain is preventing your child from sleeping at night.

There are also teething gels that are designed to soothe the gums and relieve discomfort, but there is not much evidence to prove how effective these products are.

If your infant is eating less because of their discomfort, hopefully these pain relief efforts will help to get them back to normal. Your baby might refuse solid foods because chewing is painful, so try offering them softer foods like yogurt and pureed foods in this case. Chilled solid foods can be more soothing to them, as well.

If you need advice to help your teething baby, then visit your family dentist in Advance, NC. Contact Advance Family Dental for our support or to book a dentist appointment for your child.