6 Teething Home Remedies

Teething is one of those milestones that can cause lots of pain and sleepless nights (for the baby and the parents), not to mention the red cheeks, dribbling, runny poos, nappy rash and general unsettled behaviour.

Here are a few teething home remedies to help your bub to feel more comfortable, and you can rest assured that teething won’t last forever!

1. Chewing

Teething babies love to chew. This action provides pressure, which helps to relieve the discomfort of new little teeth pushing their way through the tender gums. Bumpy rubber teething rings, rattles, and other teething toys work well to relieve that pressure. Chewing is even more effective when the object is cold as this helps to numb the gums a little. Try a frozen wet washcloth, or you can give frozen fruits like bananas and plums in a baby feeder mesh bag (to reduce choking risk). These foods should be only given under adult supervision and with baby sitting or propped upright. Ensure that babies don’t chew on things like bottle teats and dummies as bits of rubber can break off and cause a choking hazard. Rusks are also great for baby to chew on under adult supervision. We have a great teething rusk recipe on our website!

2. Rubbing

Your finger rubbed firmly on baby’s gums can provide the same soothing relief during teething.

3. Cold drinks

A bottle filled with icy cold water can offer chilly relief to tender gums for babies over six months (when water can be introduced). If your baby won’t take a bottle, try giving them (ice-free) water in a cup.

4. Cold food

Try feeding your baby some cold, soft foods like custard, yoghurt or pureed fruit (once they’ve already been introduced to your baby). This can help to soothe sore gums.

5. Homeopathic/Natural Remedies

There are many homeopathic and natural tonic remedies available on the market for teething babies which’are safe and quite often effective. A great alternative if you don’t want to give your baby over the counter medications. These remedies are available at most chemists, and it’s best to discuss which ones are the most appropriate to use with your pharmacist. You can also try things like amber necklaces which are said to be extremely effective. They are just worn as a necklace by the baby, and the amber is said to have healing and pain relieving properties (they are not to be put in your baby’s mouth though!)

6. Pain relief

If chewing, rubbing, and eating cold foods don’t do the trick, you may have to resort to some paracetamol, ibuprofen or teething gels. It’s best to talk to your child health nurse or pharmacist to determine the best one of these to use for your baby’s age group.

If your baby’s symptoms worsen despite any of these suggested remedies, please seek medical attention. We have some hotlines and suggested websites for further information and advice*.

*SAHM takes no responsibility for any illness, injury or death caused by misuse of this information.

Clare Whitfield Chief Editor

Clare Whitfield is the Editor of Stay at Home Mum and a recognised voice in practical home management for Australian families. Based in the northern suburbs of Sydney, she balances editorial leadership with life as a stay at home mum to two school age children. Her background in home economics and more than a decade of experience in recipe development, family budgeting, and household systems inform her work.

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