Tender Gums, Big Smiles A Four-Step Guide to Soothing Teething Woes in Your Little Ones
Summary
Step 1: Relieve Gums
Step 2: Use homeopathy
Step 3: Get Iris Root
Step 4: Embrace aromatherapy
For some children, teething is a real ordeal. How do you recognize teething? Some signs are clear:
- Gums are red and swollen;
- the cheeks (even the whole face) are red;
- baby rubs his ear on the side where the tooth grows;
- he drools a lot;
- his sleep is disturbed;
- he has less appetite;
- he bites everything within his reach;
- he is grumpy.
Here are some natural solutions to relieve babies’ teething and give them their smiles.
1. Relieve the gums
When teething occurs, the gums are usually inflamed and painful. To relieve them naturally, you can use cold:
Give your child a clean, cold object to chew on or a teething ring (made of silicone) that has been in the refrigerator.
Gently place a metal spoon refrigerated for a few minutes on the gums.
Have your baby chew whole grain bread or diet cookies (keep him or her under supervision to avoid choking).
Give your baby fresh water regularly.
After washing your hands, carefully massage the sensitive area with your fingertip.
In general, feed teething babies cold, easy-to-eat foods such as applesauce.
Caution: Ensure the teething ring is free of phthalates and Bisphenol A (you must mention this).
2. Use homeopathy
In homeopathy, several remedies are recommended to relieve your baby’s teething.
If these are the first teeth to appear, the pain can be relieved with Chamomilla Vulgaris in 15 CH. Give 5 granules three times a day.
To reduce pain, use Chamomilla Vulgaris again but in 9 CH at a rate of 5 granules three times a day, especially if the baby is irritable and calms down when rocked.
To limit salivation and pain, give, in addition to Chamomilla, 5 granules of Mercurius solubilis 15 CH three times a day.
If the baby has abundant salivation and chews on objects, replace the Mercurius solubilis indicated above with Phytolacca decandra in 9 CH.
For the smallest, melt the granules in a glass of water.
Good to know: there are also effective homeopathic suppositories, which you can order in pharmacies. They are composed of Arnica montana, Chamomilla, and Hypericum perforatum.
3. Get an iris root
It can be fascinating to give your child an iris root, also called violet root, to chew on. On the one hand, the elastic iris root relieves gum pain (by releasing active ingredients when chewing, particularly violet); on the other hand, it helps the teeth break through.
As soon as the baby does not wish to chew the root anymore, it is enough to let it dry at room temperature or plunge it for a few moments in the boiling water to clean it. You can keep an iris root for up to two years.
When the teeth are out, it is preferable not to use the root anymore, as the baby could crunch small pieces of it and choke.
4. Adopt aromatherapy
Essential oils (EO) are potent and should not be used indiscriminately, especially in children. However, you can prepare the following mixture to relieve teething:
- 0.3 ml of Clove and Roman Chamomile EO;
- 3 ml of St. John’s wort vegetable oil (VH);
- 30 ml of hazelnut oil.
To apply this mixture:
- Wash your hands thoroughly.
- Put 2 drops of the mixture on the pulp of your little finger and gently massage the gum with your finger.
- Do not apply more than two times a day.
Materials to relieve teething
Teething ring
Homeopathic tablets
Vegetable oil
Essential oils
Iris root