4 Ways to Relieve Toddler Teething Pain

The teething process is an inevitable part of your toddler’s development, but it doesn’t have to be a painful one! Keep on reading to learn about four safe ways that can help soothe your child’s sore gums and put a stop to their tears.

4 Ways to Relieve Toddler Teething Pain
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Use over the counter remedies

If your toddler is being especially teary or having difficulty sleeping, you can consider giving them over-the-counter (OTC) painkillers like Tylenol or Ibuprofen to treat the pain. 

But it’s important to keep in mind that most experts recommend using pain killers only as a last resort after non-medical approaches fail.

Even though most children’s medications are generally safe, they should still be used sparingly. 

If it gets to the point where a single dose isn’t enough, don’t hesitate to seek advice from a paediatrician. 

You should also check out this website for more information about which medications are safe for children. 

You can also consider giving teething gels a try if your child is especially cranky. Just make sure that you get a gel that is safe and specifically designed to provide comfort for toddlers. 

General oral pain-relief gels aren’t suitable for children. Ingesting them can cause a variety of unwanted side effects. 

As for homoeopathic gels, research is inconclusive, and there isn’t much scientific evidence that proves their effectiveness. 

Some unlicensed herbal gels can even be extremely harmful to your toddler. Specifically, herbal gels that contain benzocaine should definitely be avoided due to their harmful side effects.

Use a cold cloth to ease the discomfort

Sometimes, gently massaging your child’s sore gums with a clean, cold cloth or finger is all you need to do to relieve the pain. 

Gently rubbing a soft, cold cloth around your baby’s gums can help decrease inflammation by cooling the area. The light pressure applied also helps reduce your toddler’s discomfort.

The best thing about this trick? You don’t need any special equipment — just some foresight to keep a clean, water-soaked cloth prepped in the freezer in case of emergencies. 

Plus, these cooling washcloths can serve a dual purpose. Besides instantly soothing your toddler’s sore gums, they can also serve as excellent distractions for them. Babies love gnawing on anything they can get their little hands on.

Just make sure that the cloth or rag being used isn’t small enough to pose a choking hazard.

If a cold cloth (and other home remedies) don’t work, you might need to visit a dentist to ensure that the teething process is occurring normally. For more information about teething, you can check out Putney Dental’s toddler teething guide. 

Switch to teething biscuits 

Unlike normal biscuits or cookies, teething biscuits don't crumble. Instead, they slowly dissolve as your toddler gnaws at them.

Giving a baby teething biscuits right after teething starts isn’t recommended. But you can give them to toddlers that can eat solid food or are aged around 8-12 months. 

Gnawing at or sucking teething biscuits can reduce pain by stimulating and causing local vasoconstriction (narrowing of blood vessels) in the gums. This helps in bringing down the inflammation. The pressure that they apply on the gums can also reduce pain and discomfort.  

On top of providing much-needed teething pain relief, teething biscuits also help strengthen your toddler’s jaw.

This makes teething biscuits ideal for parents who wish to use a more natural and non-medical approach to soothe their teething toddler’s pain. 

This method doesn’t require oral gels or medicines, and the best part? You can make them at home!

Just make sure that the teething biscuits you use don’t have a lot of sugar in them, as this can significantly increase the risk of cavities. 

Use cold teething toys

Teething toys (like teething rings) can give your toddler something safe to chew on. They can also help divert your toddler’s mind from the discomfort and pain associated with teething.

It’s a good idea to refrigerate teething toys before giving them to your baby. Just like a cold cloth, cold toys reduce inflammation and pain.

Most teething toys and rings come with instructions telling you for how long you should refrigerate them. In most cases, 30-60 minutes is more than enough. 

Just make sure you never put your child’s teething toy in the freezer for long periods of time. Gnawing on toys that are too cold could potentially damage and bruise your toddler’s sensitive gums. 

Additionally, try to avoid putting gel-filled teething toys in the freezer. Freezing them is not recommended, as they tend to break more easily than their solid plastic counterparts when cold. 

After each use, you should inspect teething toys to ensure there aren’t any pieces falling off that could pose a choking hazard.

Lastly, try to avoid using teething jewelry such as bracelets and necklaces made from amber or silicone. 

Several organizations like the Food and Drug Administration warn against their use and consider them a health risk due to their potential for causing choking, gum injury, and infection.