The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns against the use of Orajel in children under two years of age.
Topical teething gels and liquids with benzocaineOnce your toddler passes his second birthday (at which point he may be cutting his first and second molars), benzocaine-based numbing gels are considered safer to use.
To relieve the discomfort of teething, offer your baby a clean frozen or wet washcloth or a solid teething ring. If the crying continues, talk to your pediatrician about giving an appropriate dose of acetaminophen (Tylenol). You can also give ibuprofen (Advil) if your baby is older than 6 months.
Some babies are born with their first teeth. Others start teething before they are 4 months old, and some after 12 months. But most babies start teething at around 6 months.
Your baby's gums are irritated and sore, which can explain the nighttime fussiness. So when they wake up crying, try offering them a cooling gum massage with a durable teething ring. (Check out these top picks!)
Acetaminophen (Tylenol) Dosing Information
| Weight | Age | Infant Oral Suspension: Concentration 5 mL = 160mg |
|---|
| 6-11 pounds | 0-3 months only to be given if directed by a health care professional (see above) | |
| 12-17 pounds | 4-11 months | 2.5 mL |
| 18-23 pounds | 12-23 months | 3.75 mL |
| 24-35 pounds | 2-3 years | 5 mL |
Teething generally occurs between 6 to 24 months of age. Symptoms of teething include irritability, tender and swollen gums, and the infant wanting to place objects or fingers into the mouth in an attempt to reduce discomfort. Fever, cough, diarrhea, and cold symptoms are not found when a child is teething.
Do not give this medicine, if your child is under 5 months old. Do not use more Anbesol Teething Gel than recommended (as listed in Section 3) as this may result in the active ingredients being absorbed into the body causing serious side effects, such as convulsions (fits).
If your baby is especially cranky, consider giving him or her infants' or children's over-the-counter pain medications such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others).
It's really tough to see your baby start teething and experiencing constant pain, so try these methods to help ease the discomfort.
- Massage the Gums.
- Get a Cold Washcloth.
- Refrigerate Pacifier or Teething Toy.
- Freeze Milk Popsicles.
- Wipe Away Excess Drool.
- Chill Some Fruit.
- Extra Cuddling Time.
- Pain Medications.
But the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns against using any sort of topical medication to treat teething pain in children, including prescription or OTC creams and gels, or homeopathic teething tablets. They offer little to no benefit and are associated with serious risk.
Church and Dwight Co. Inc is voluntarily recalling Orajelâ„¢ teething products containing benzocaine because the product can cause rare but deadly side effects in children, especially those under age 2, according to a letter from the company sent May 24.
Talbot's Soothing Gel is Naturally Inspired and formulated to be Benzocaine-Free, Non-Toxic, and Safe to Swallow.
Anbesol Liquid is used to help relieve pain and discomfort associated with teething, in children from 5 months of age, when other non-medicinal methods such as massaging of the gums or use of teething rings do not provide necessary relief.
Pediatrician-approved teething remedies
- Wet cloth. Freeze a clean, wet cloth or rag, then give it to your baby to chew on.
- Cold food. Serve cold foods such as applesauce, yogurt, and refrigerated or frozen fruit (for babies who eat solid foods).
- Teething biscuits.
- Teething rings and toys.
If you needed any more convincing, it is not okay to give a baby a few drops of whiskey on his gums to soothe his teething pain. Instead, try applying a cold washcloth to the gums or even massaging them and applying pressure with your fingers.
Mothers have given their babies gripe water for years to help soothe colic. However, some claim it can also be used to alleviate the discomfort that comes along with teething. It is a mixture of water and soothing herbs, such as fennel and ginger. The water may also have a small amount of sugar.
You can use bonjela Teething Gel from 2 months old and bonjela Junior Gel from 3 months old.
Most babies get their first tooth around 6 months old, with teething symptoms preceding its appearance by as much as two or three months. However, some infants' first teeth erupt as early as 3 or 4 months old, while others don't get their first tooth until around or after their first birthday.
During the teething period there are symptoms that include irritability, disrupted sleep, swelling or inflammation of the gums, drooling, loss of appetite, rash around the mouth, mild temperature, diarrhea, increased biting and gum-rubbing and even ear-rubbing.
Teething can cause babies to drool. The excess saliva this creates can irritate the skin around a baby's mouth, as well as their cheeks, chin, neck, or chest. This causes a teething rash. A teething rash may come and go during the months that a baby is teething.
If teething pain happens, it should be present during the day as well as at night. Most parents describe “teething†pains just at night; this does not make scientific sense. Giving babies Tylenol often at night in order to treat or prevent teething pain is dangerous and unnecessary.
Teething can be an uncomfortable time for your baby and result in mild to moderate irritability and screaming. You can take steps to ease your baby's pain and make the process a bit more tolerable and less bothersome for your little one.
Teething takes about 8 days, which includes 4 days before and 3 days after the tooth comes through the gum. (You may see a blue-grey bubble on the gum where the tooth is about to appear. This is called an eruption cyst and will usually go away without treatment.)
Discomfort and pain causes wake ups at unusual times. Think about your child's typical sleep patterns and compare them to what's going on now. Does your child typically sleep for three hours at a stretch but is suddenly waking up every 20 minutes? If so, teething may be disrupting their sleep.
