Advice on Coping with Teething

Updated on October 31, 2008
C.K. asks from Newport Beach, CA
44 answers

My 4 month old daughter, who is usually a very happy baby, is starting to get two teeth (lower center teeth) and seems to have quite a bit of pain. It's interfering with her ability to take a bottle; she seems to have good appetite, but she cries when taking the bottle. It seems to be painful. She's also having trouble sleeping during the day--she often wakes up every 15-20 minutes fussing, so she isn't getting enough sleep during the day. Our pediatrician suggested putting damp washcloths in the freezer and giving those to the baby to suck on. We've had limited success with this and with a variety of teething rings. Is it safe to give her infant Tylenol? Are there other things that have worked for your children?

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So What Happened?

Thank you so much for all the suggestions and support. Very helpful! I'm trying out Hyland's tablets and the frozen pacifiers/spoons. I'll also look into Orajel swabs and Boiron's drops. Tylenol was recommended by our pediatrician and does seem to work well, but I'm using it as a last resort. The doctor recommended not using Motrin until at least 6 months.

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L.D.

answers from Los Angeles on

Mine's not teething yet but my doctor tells me to give her the minimum dose when she goes for her shots or gets a fever and suggested I do the same if it seems like she's teething and in pain. Have you tried baby Oragel or similar products? I also found these wonderful binkies at CVS that are for teething. So far that's the only place I've found them; they have nubs that help.

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A.B.

answers from Las Vegas on

I wouldn't recommend tylenol just because some kids become immune to it and then when they have a fever or pain, it won't work. I give my 4 month old daughter hylands teething tablets and baby orajel before she eats and goes to sleep.

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J.L.

answers from San Diego on

Hi C., try doing the washrag with crushed ice, my babies loved it, not only did it soothe the gums but kept them occupied as well, also keep a spoon in the freezer and message her gums, you can also apply the infant;s tylenol rigfht to the gums, these are all the things I did, that got my 3 babies throught the teething stages. J. L.

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H.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

What works best for my little guy i s the highlands teething tabs. I have heard from some moms that they don't work, but the do for us! They do not make him groggy and he just acts like he feels better with them. I usually only have to give him 1-2 doses a day (24 hr).
GOOD LUCK

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H.M.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hi C.,

We had a lot of problems with teething as well. If she has run a fever or continues to have a hard time taking a bottle or sleeping lying down, have her ears checked for an ear infection. Both feeding and lying down are major signs they are in pain. Trust me, we know, our son has had 7 in 2 1/2 years and they typically originated from acceess fluid from a cold or teething. Good luck!

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D.M.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hyland's teething tablets worked for my kids. Safe and available in the grocery store pharmacy. You can put teething rings in the freezer, too.

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T.L.

answers from Los Angeles on

My grandson got his first teeth at two months old. He met the weight requirements for infant Tylenol, so I would suggest asking your pediatrician. However, that had little effect on him. I would suggest what my daughter tried for him. My grandson was too small to hold teething rings, so she stuck stage one pacifiers in the freezer. They made him drool everywhere, but he loved them! Right after sucking on the cold pacifier, he would take him bottle because his gums were numb and he could finally fall asleep. Perhaps that may help you.

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B.B.

answers from San Diego on

We have tried it all and on really bad days Tylenol and extra loving is the only thing that works. Brace yourself...we had a rough time with the first two...but the top ones are coming in now and it seems to be taking forever! We are getting less sleep now than when she was a newborn. Ugg. Good luck!

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A.K.

answers from San Diego on

The same thin happened with our baby girl around that age. We gave her infant tylenol and she was back to her old self within an hour or so. It's definitely safe!!

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D.L.

answers from San Diego on

Chamomila 30c by boiron. Works amazing well. You can get it at any health food store and I've even seen them at CVS.

D.

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J.D.

answers from Reno on

Try giving her Tylenol 1/2 an hour before giving her a bottle. Try the washcloths before a feeding too. Once the teeth pop through, she'll be back to her old self! :)

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T.M.

answers from Los Angeles on

They have baby orajel rub some of that on the gums takes the pain away, it really helps.. tylenal will help but make sure double sure your not over dosing, this should be last resort... a frozen baby spoon against the gums helps also, i also took a nipple or the top of a bottle added a little water and frooze the nipple just runned it on the gums, and ice cold finger soaked in ice water helps also, the joys of motherhood !!!

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S.O.

answers from San Diego on

There is an all natural product made by Hylands for teething. You can get it at Henry's, Jimbo's or other similar stores. It really helped my DD when she is having teething issues. She is 16 months and only has 6 teeth. Every few weeks it seems that she has another batch of teeth that get swollen and start to poke through. So I keep the Hylands teething tablets on hand. I usually just give it to her right before bedtime when I know her teeth ar bothering her. It helps her to sleep at night as it has Chamomile which helps her to relax and some other herbs that help with the pain from swollen gums, etc.

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J.H.

answers from Los Angeles on

My 5 month old is teething and her pediatrician suggested tylenol but it seems to me she needs something more so I am thinking about calling her and asking about teething tablets or gel.

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R.R.

answers from Los Angeles on

Try Hyland's Teething Tablets. Its a homeopathic remedy that is very safe and has no side effects.I get them from Whole Foods or the Vitamin Shoppe. My son is 8 months old & we faired well through his teething with the help of these. He has 4 teeth and more on the way and hasn't missed a night sleep or had any fevers because of his teeth. Good luck & hope this helps.

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M.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

Get the doctor too ok the Motrin. It's so hard when they are this little o know exactly what is going on, but if you notice Fever or diarrhea, take baby to DR.. Motrin/ Ibuprofen was what I used for all my kids (4) besides that , look for the Orajel Nighttime Teething Swabs. Those were AWESOME !

Rest when you can ladies !

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A.H.

answers from San Diego on

Hi there- I am a mom of a 3 year old boy. I have to say, teething was extremely hard for him. It was painful from the very first one to the very last molar. He showed signs of pain in the evening/night time. During the days he was so distracted that it didn't seem to bother him as much. So, the only thing that REALLY worked for him was Tylenol. Your dtr is 4 months old, so I would check with your pediatrician regarding if it is ok and how much. Now, I want you to know that I am not a big fan of giving my son an abundance of medication. I only gave him the tylenol if it seemed like he was miserable. Also what really helped as a chew toy was a toothbrush. Especially at your dtrs age, I bought the one where I could put it on my finger and I would just rub the gums. Seemed to like it. In addition, to the tylenol I would use the Hylands homeopathic teething tablets. Again, I would check with your Dr RE if it is ok to give your dtr. Oh, also I would just massage around my sons gums and seemed to help. Good luck with this. These kids go through a lot. Teething seems to be very painful and certainly was in my sons case.
In addition, to address the feeding/eating issues: Yes the feedings will be off until the teeth cut through the skin. In my sons case, he didn't eat much when he was cutting a tooth. Once it cut through, he seemed to make up for it some how almost like he was trying to catch up. But, they are totally fine in the end. It is just hard for us parents to watch our little ones go through this. May be try giving Tylenol 30 mins prior to feeding. But, this didn't even help in my sons case. He ate very little. Good luck.

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B.S.

answers from Las Vegas on

Hylands Teething Tablets or Teething Gel!

I swear by it as my son is having the same issues with teething. As soon as I give him the tablets in a few moments he is settled down and happy again. His teeth never seem to show him pain.

I buy them from azurestandard.com or walmart has them as well.

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D.K.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hi C. !
I always feel so bad for them when they are teething. When my kids were really cranky I would give them infant tylenol. I also would put an ice cube in the mesh bags (normally used for food ). That way they can chew on an ice cube safely. I would also use oragel sometimes. My kids weren't too hard with that phase, we'll see how are newborn now does ! Good luck and hope your little one feels better soon !

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J.W.

answers from Reno on

Try Hyland's teething pills. They are all natural and work WONDERS.

J.

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S.H.

answers from Los Angeles on

you can use a combination of Oragel, teething tablets and tylenol. For my son, I only gave him tylenol when nothing else worked since you can't always be sure that's why they are fussy (especially at your daughter's age).
My son didn't like teething rings until he was a little older, so I gave him ice cubes wrapped in clean dish towles for him to chew on.

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C.C.

answers from Los Angeles on

My son is teething as well - I feel so bad for them! He's not taking the bottle either - he likes to chew on the nipple. Tylenol will help with the swelling. I've also used Orajel on his gums. My colleagues have told me that rubbing a little bit of whiskey on his gums will work as well. I haven't tried that yet though!

Good luck!

http://babyannouncementwebsites.com

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M.T.

answers from San Diego on

Tylenol all the way, baby! When they are in pain, this really helps. She will sleep much better. Teething is a LONG process and you will drive yourself crazy if you try to suffer through it.
good luck!

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J.L.

answers from Los Angeles on

We give tylenol and it helps take the edge off.

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J.W.

answers from Los Angeles on

Take her in and have her checked out. There is a common childhood virus called Herpangina that has some symptoms of teething. I thought my dd was teething because of the drooling and crying during eating and I was wrong. Teething makes them want to chew on things so the bottle should pacify her if anything. I have 7 friends with babies and 4 of our babies got this virus. It is a sore throat so they don't want to eat because it hurts to swallow. Same reason why they drool. Good luck.

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K.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

I dont agree with giving my son medicine unless absolutely necessary. Those frozen pacifiers worked wonders. Also you may try massaging you babies gums. I bought my son an infant tooth brush. It was like a small rubber thimble with soft bristles, it still work now. Give it a shot.

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E.R.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hi, C.!

Infant Tylenol is great. However, if you'd rather not give your daughter Tylenol constantly, one thing my friends and I swear by are Hyland's Teething Tablets. They're homeopathic and they seem to do the trick. My daughter loves them and can't wait to have them when she's especially grouchy and uncomfortable from teething. She's currently starting to get her pre-molars, which are the most painful from what I've heard from other moms.

Hyland's Teething Tablets. They're a lifesaver.

Hope that helps!

E.

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D.L.

answers from San Diego on

When my baby was 3 months he cut his 1st tooth and I gave him Tylenol. Same thing, he was a happy baby up until then, but was fussy and in pain, esp. when feeding. The tylenol worked like a charm. His pediatrician said it was ok too. He's now 10 months and has cut 7 teeth and the tylenol got us through all of them. Baby orajel has helped quite a bit too, but he isn't crazy about the taste. Hope that helps. Good luck.

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D.M.

answers from Los Angeles on

My son hated orajel or anything teething gel. But, he loved the Hyland's Teething Tablets. That with Motrin before nap and bedtime has been a lifesaver!

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J.O.

answers from Los Angeles on

there are some great homeopathic remedies for teething you should try.
find a homeopathic pharmacy near your home and pick the their brain.
Boiron makes some good products...
good luck.

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T.T.

answers from Los Angeles on

When my son was going through the teething process I gave him teething tablets. The brand is Highlander and its homeopathic natural use as directed and you will see some relief in your baby.
I hope this helps.

T. T. Highland, CA

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N.C.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hi C.,
Ouf I remember those early teething time. It is more difficult then because they need more sleep when they are that young. My son is now 13 months and still has teething pains. Yes baby tylenol is fine but I used baby motrin, it last up to 6-7 hours compared with 3 or 4 with Tylenol. check the dosage with your baby's weight. Also does she suck on cold teether? you can freeze in ice cube maker your milk or formula and give that in those little net feeder you buy at target. They are in the bottle section. I don'T know what they are called but it is to prevent chocking...you can put food in the little net part and the baby holds it by the ring and suck on the net part until it melts. Humm not sure I make sense in my description but let me know if you can't find them. Good luck and remember it passes after a week or so. N.

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L.T.

answers from San Diego on

Hi C.,
Congratulations on your new little bundle! Yes, its seems like the 1st teeth to break through take forever and are the worst. The sucking on the bottle or breast engorges the gums w/ blood and they begin to throb. You may find that she needs to release every few minutes the let the blood flow out of the gum tissue. You may find that giving Tylenol (her proper dose) every 4 hours helpful, also rubbing Baby Orajel on her gums just before a bottle will help her tolerate the bottle...nothing worse than a cranky, painful and hungry baby :-)! The Hylands teething tablets are pretty good, I found we had to use them several times daily to make a difference...they really do dissolve and are not a danger to her, test one out! Lots of cold teethers, frozen washcloths, or even crushed ice wrapped in a washcloth can help. My daughter's favorite teether was my thumb knuckle. Hope something helps! Good luck!!

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A.W.

answers from Los Angeles on

I'm right there with you! My six month-old just cut his first two bottom teeth, and it looks like he might be cutting one on the top now.

We had limited success with Hyland's teething tablets and frozen washcloths, and he loves his frozen teething ring! Our pediatrician gave us the go-ahead to give him Tylenol at bedtime, and that's bought us about 5 hours of sleep at night for the last few weeks. I've heard infant Motrin is better than Tylenol, because it also relieves swelling, but I haven't tried it yet.

My baby's having trouble eating, too. My husband discovered that by switching to a higher-flow nipple, our baby didn't have to suck as hard, and it relieved the pressure on his gums while he ate. It didn't completely solve the problem, but it helped a lot! We're also feeding him more solids, and he loves gnawing on Cheerios.

My biggest learning while teething has been to keep the baby busy during the day. This was counter-intuitive to me: When I'm sick, I want to stay home and cuddle up on the couch. But with our baby, as long as he has something to distract him (whether a trip to Target or a walk around the block), the teething pain doesn't bother him. It's not until the evening/bedtime - when the house is quiet and dark - that his teeth really bother him.

Hope this helps a little! I'm interested to see what's worked for other moms, too...

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A.P.

answers from San Diego on

teething lasts for a while...like 2 years. I wouldn't do Tylenol unless it's a really bad day with fever and aches, so baby doesn't build a tolerance for it. Do try baby Orajel. My son usually does it once or twice a day and his two bottom teeth just came out. I heard that the disolving 'natural' tablets contain a derivitive of Opium-yikes! It's also fun to suck on ice cold water from a cup. Best of luck-A.

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D.G.

answers from Reno on

ALWAYS...before giving any meds ask your pediatrician to make sure you are giving your little one the proper amount. That being said there are a variety of things available that may help. There are teeting gels like Ora-Gel, which offer 2 strengths, one for any time & one for night time that is a little stronger. The thing about it though is that it doesn't work for about 30 minutes and usually ends up numbing everything else. Teething tablets work quickly but will make your baby pretty sleepy. Gripe Water may help to ease her general discomfort using natural products. Like all of the other baby products out there you just have to try each one to see what you like best. Teething can be really h*** o* babies AND parents so try to remember, this too, shall pass.
Good luck & I hope this helps!

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J.C.

answers from San Diego on

Hylands teething tablets really work wonders. Instead of putting them under the tongue, it helps to take one and dissolve it in a little bit of water. Then give this water to the baby. You can get these at any store, such as Albertsons, Ralph's, etc.

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S.B.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hyland's teething tablets. You can also call your pediatrician for the recommended dose of Tylenol for your child's weight. Good luck... my son is almost one and has been working on his first molar for what seems likes weeks now. He really likes his vibrating teethers and ignores the cold ones (though for some reason, I keep trying to give them to him). Just keep trying to give her as much comfort as possible through this painful time.

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M.T.

answers from Las Vegas on

Hylands Teething Tabs work wonders! I found they work better than anything else. Good Luck!

M.

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V.D.

answers from Los Angeles on

Motrin - was my lifesaver for my daughter, she is still teethin more at 15 mo. with the back teeth coming in, yours is much younger, rub something to numb her gums use baby anbesol and give her little dose of motrin, really cold wash cloths, not frozen work best, since she is so little, you will have to hold it in her mouth.

good luck,
V.

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L.M.

answers from San Diego on

It's too bad your Dr. didn't give you more suggestions, every baby is different and what will soothe them will be different. I used Motrin as Tylenol does nothing for my children (but for some it's great) DO check w/ your Dr. for dosing!!!! Also, Hylands teething tabs, Gripe Water and/or Mylicon for any gas. Sometimes all the drooling/saliva can cause gas!

Good Luck!

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C.R.

answers from San Diego on

Hi C.. I'm a bit late with a response and didn't read what other moms suggested but I wanted to let you know I'm going through teething with my 6 month old right now. Her pediatrician warned that Oragel only numbs the gums for about 10 minutes at a time so you'd have to reapply a lot for it to be effective. I don't like that for my daughter. The Highlands teething tablets have really been working well. I only give my daughter Tylenol if she has a fever. I hope your little one is doing better since your post, though. Take care.

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B.K.

answers from Los Angeles on

Give her your pediatricians recommended dose of tylenol and we were also told Humphries. you can get it at any drug store. it's homeopathic and really supposed to help.

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J.B.

answers from Los Angeles on

well, tylenol always worked for me . . . my pediatrician said it was totally safe, and I felt like, well, if I was in pain, would I take some tylenol . . . yeah . . .

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