What to Do for Teething Pain That Even Tylenol Won't Take Care Of?

Updated on February 16, 2012
J.A. asks from Spartanburg, SC
15 answers

Oh. My. God. My 5 month old has the tiniest sliver of the two bottom teeth coming through, I can feel them but not really see them yet. He hasn't been content and happy since he woke up this morning...constant whining or flat out crying NO MATTER WHAT. Even when I am holding, bouncing, rocking...even some whining in his sleep and sleep doesn't last long. Is this something we just have to endure? I don't have or can't find the topical stuff in the house, my husband will bring some when he comes home from work but I gave the baby some tylenol since it was all I had to ease pain and even that doesn't seem to be working!?!? What to do? He will suck on a wet washcloth and NOTHING else...that's how I know the teeth are bothering him, he grabs a toy, looks at it and then throws it down whining without even putting it in his mouth. Any ideas? THanks!

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Featured Answers

X.O.

answers from Chicago on

Tylenol does nothing for my teething babies' poor gums. We use infant Ibuprofen, which is an anti-inflammatory & is longer-lasting than Tylenol.

I also have one of those mesh feeding bags that I put a popsicle into. My kids love to teethe on them.

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More Answers

E.G.

answers from Daytona Beach on

Rub some wiskey on it, just a tiny bit will do, that came from my ped.

2 moms found this helpful

S.T.

answers from Nashville on

I used Hyland's teething tablets. They worked wonders!!! I didn't use orajel or anything topical because along with numbing the gums, it also toughened them up and made it harder for the teeth to come through. I dissolved a couple of tablets on a spoon with a couple of drops of water and kind of poured it onto my little guys gums.

2 moms found this helpful

J.S.

answers from Hartford on

I would also go with an ice cube tied into a wash cloth. If that doesn't work, you've already done what you can and he's just going to have to cope. At some point, when we feel pain that we can't handle it does start to numb on its own. The initial cutting is the worst, so once the actual cutting through the skin of the gum is done he should much better.

We're not always meant to eliminate every ounce of pain and discomfort, by the way. It's okay unless he's nonstop screaming and he can't cope at all. If he's coping, albeit fussy, don't worry so much. These are valuable coping skills he's learning.

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E.G.

answers from Atlanta on

I always had better luck with motrin versus Tylenol because it reduces swelling. Never have had any luck with an OTC numbing gel (like oral gel), It only lasts a minute. What I always found worked (and my mother, and my sisters, and grandma and every aunt and cousin with kids too) dip your finger in rum or whiskey and just dab it on the sore spots. If you guys don't drink just go get a little one shot bottle of something. It doesnt take more than a drop to work wonders. Good luck. Teething with my kids took forever. The teeth would pop out one day and back in the next. It would take up to 6 months for the teeth to stay out and stop hurting. Also figure out what he likes to naw on. My kids loved those biscuit crackers that dissolve and make a yucky, gross, slimy mess. The cleanup was worth it if they didn't cry for a 30 minute span. Trick with those: I would put down a table clothe (picnic kind thats water proof) weigh down the corners so they couldn't chew or choke on it and let them eat their gross biscuits with only a diaper on. They were happy, I didn't feel punished with a huge clean up in exchange for a couple minutes of quiet. I would also stick them in a play yard with the bisquits, that seemed to contain the mess until the "I'm going see how many times I can throw this bisquit out and mommy will get it back for me stage" again, good luck. This too shall pass (totally not fast enough but it will pass). One last thing, the organic teething tablets that dissolve on their tounges does work well too. I usually only used them at night cause they could make them really sleepy and screw up nap schedules.

1 mom found this helpful
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C.W.

answers from Phoenix on

I used to rub whisky on they gums. nothing else would work with my boys. with my daughter i could use baby orajel.

1 mom found this helpful
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L.M.

answers from Phoenix on

infant ibuprofren is the best. i also like the hylands teething gel. this way I can just squirt some in his mouth. But some days one thing works and other days they don't. You just have to have an arsenal on hand. a teeny bit of clove oil mixed in olive oil works too. but try that one on yourself first to make sure it's not too strong.

1 mom found this helpful
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J.F.

answers from Bloomington on

I was also going to suggest ibuprofen and a folded up washcloth that has been wettened and frozen. Poor little guy.

1 mom found this helpful
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K.H.

answers from Detroit on

Put an ice cube in a washcloth and hold it while he chews. Poor little guy!

1 mom found this helpful
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D.W.

answers from Charleston on

Do you have any of those freezer pops in a sleeve in the freezer? I did not do it with my first two, but my third one LOVED those when teething. We were using whatever they had at the grocery store (third child), but there are better-for-them versions, too, at whole foods, etc. I liked these over say freezing your own juice because they break down and apart faster than the solid ice of frozen juice which can break off and choke the baby. We probably did this starting at about 5 or so months.

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T.T.

answers from Atlanta on

With my girls I used Hurricane Gel. It is 2 or 3 times stonger than oragel. I actually just used some last night as my almost 5 yo gums were sore where she just lost her 1st tooth. I found it behind the pharacy counter at Wal-Mart. I don't know why they keep it there. You don't need a prescription, just ask the pharacy tech for it.

Good Luck to you both!
T.

1 mom found this helpful
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B.R.

answers from Madison on

you need to use a nsaid. aka Ibuprophen to help will swelling. Tylenol will not do this.

childrens mortrin is one of the better ones cause you don't give it so often.

1 mom found this helpful
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B.

answers from Augusta on

motrin is a better oral pain reliever. It's anti inflamitory and that's what you've got is inflamed gums.
try freezing the wet wash cloth.

1 mom found this helpful
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C.W.

answers from Indianapolis on

Infant Ibuprofen is a better route, it has the anti-inflammatory factor in it that Tylenol doesn't have. If you think about it, your gums get very swollen even before the tooth cuts through, so I would switch. It felt like my kids lived on it when they were teething, but it helped. And no I didn't over-do it like I'm sure some people will think.

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J.S.

answers from Columbia on

Lasts 7-12 days - hang in there.

Hyland Homeopathic Teething Tablets - magic disolvable little things that have a warning "your child may fall asleep immediately after taking these".

Chew toys in the freezer.

Binky in the freezer (this worked best for us)

Wet washcloth in freezer (only worked once for us)

1 mom found this helpful
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