Relief for a Teething Baby?

Dear Nanny,

Lately my baby seems to have lost her appetite. She has also been drooling a lot and is very cranky. I think she may be teething. Any suggestions?

--Drooler’s Mom


Dear Drooler's Mom,

Sounds to me like she’s teething. Most babies start teething between 4 and 7 months and the first teeth to come in are usually the bottom incisors (in the front of your baby’s mouth.) For most babies the first incisors and the first molars are the most painful; although how painful and disruptive the teething process is certainly varies from baby to baby. And in my family, it ran the gauntlet from a cranky afternoon and a new tooth the next morning to a month-long marathon of sleepless nights and heart-wrenching agony (for both baby and parents!).

In addition to the decreased appetite, drooling and crankiness you note, other symptoms of teething include:

Gum swelling and sensitivity
Biting behavior
Sleep problems
Red cheeks
Ear pulling

There's debate among experts over whether certain problems — like diarrhea, fever, congestion, body rashes, and vomiting — can be caused by teething.

You can't do anything to make your baby’s teeth appear swifter, but you can comfort your baby. Give her something to chew on. While many babies like teething rings, my grandbabies seemed to favor real foods. One granddaughter found relief chewing on a frozen bagel, while one of my grandson’s loved chewing on a whole carrot that had been kept in the freezer, and yet another liked frozen 100% fruit pops. The coolness was comforting and the counter pressure from chewing provided a welcome balance to the pressure the baby feels coming from the buried teeth below. My grandbabies all preferred food to gnaw on, but I have also seen wet washcloths or terrycloth toys fresh from the fridge or freezer work wonders with certain infants in the throes of teething trauma.

When they are teething, babies bring their hands to their mouths precisely because the pressure on the gums brings relief. So, another great way to comfort a teething baby is to rub the gums firmly and gently with a clean finger.

The drooling can also contribute to or cause a chin rash or otherwise irritate your baby’s tender skin, so you may want to wipe your cherub’s chin frequently if she seems to be a heavy drooler.

If none of this helps, your may want to talk to your pediatrician who may suggest giving your baby children's acetaminophen to ease the pain and inflammation. The use of a topical pain relief gel is also an option, though most pediatricians advise against it: If too much is used, the gel can numb the back of your baby's throat and weaken her gag reflex.

--Nanny