After sleep, teething can one of the biggest life disruptors, especially the first 2 years. Typically babies get their first teeth around 6 months and their last molars around 2.5-years-old, but like everything else, that can vary widely🥴. Here’s a chart with general timing of baby’s teeth coming in:
Quick disclaimer reminding you to always check with your healthcare provider before giving any medicines to your little one.
That said, here are some remedies to soothe your teething 👶:
#1 Gel for Inflamed Gums
- Zarbees Gum Massage Gel ($7)-Completely drug free and made of wholesome ingredients, this one is your most natural choice.
- Dr Talbots Soothing Gel ($5.50)-I liked the teething ring this came with and often stuck it in the freezer and gave it to my daughter without the gel to gnaw on and it seemed to ease her discomfort. This one is ‘homeopathic’ but doesn’t seem to have as natural of ingredients as Zarbees (above) and I didn’t find it to be as effective as Orajel (below).
- Baby Orajel Cooling Gels ($6)- While Orajel isn’t the most ‘natural’ of brands, this is benzocaine free and most widely recommended by pediatricians. I used it for my daughter religiously while she was getting her 16 month molars. There’s a tube for daytime and nighttime - the only difference being that the nighttime one has chamomile.
The only thing I’m a bit suspicious about is the directions says use up to 4 times daily while the other say use as much as needed 🤔
#2 Teething Oils and Drops
- Punkin Butt Baby Teeth Oil($10)- One of our trusted 101 Mamas, Brianna used this throughout her son’s teething woes and paired with Motrin (more on that below), found it to be the most effective.
- Boiron Camilia Drops ($10)- I used these for a long time with my daughter and they did seem to help, but it’s possible she was just fascinated by the ritual of getting the drops every few hours — they’re homeopathic and harmless so either way, it’s a win!
- Wellements Baby Teeth Oil ($10)- Another trusted 101 Mama, Erika and a few others used this and they all said it was moderately effective.
In my opinion, the oils and drops don’t do much, but honestly, when your baby is going through the worst of teething, they’re all worth a try 😫
#3 Teething Rings and Toys
- Sophie Giraffe Teether ($17)- You might be wondering if Sophie is worth the $$ and IMO, it’s great because it has a few different textures to massage your L.O’s gums and it’s the first teething toy to be made of 100% natural rubber. It’s also very cute and durable.
- Banana Teether and Toy Pack ($10)- The banana teether was my daughter’s favorite and every babe had one at all the 101 Mamas picnics and meetups we’ve done. This pack is great because it comes with freezable rings (with the fruit) and a rubber giraffe (not as cute as Sophie but you get what you pay for 😂)
- Silicone Teether Bracelet ($13)- This is made of food-grade silicone and is dishwasher and freezer safe. I found any kind of silicone teethers to be best for the car — you can tie them on a string and hang from the top of the car seat and your babe can gnaw on them every time they’re in the car.
#4 Homemade Remedies
- Chilled spoon: Chill a metal spoon in the fridge for a few hours, then give to your baby to enjoy. Wooden mixing spoons also have a great hard texture that babies love!
- Frozen waffles: Lots of my mom’s friends swore on frozen waffles for teething. May be messy, but worth a try!
- Licorice Root: an herb that can usually be found in natural food stores. It has a sweet taste, and naturally numbs the gums while your baby chews. This is not the same thing as licorice candy, which is NOT good for babies, so be careful!
- Frozen Wash Cloth: Caroline from the group said: “I take a clean spit-up cloth, wet it, twist it and place it in the freezer and give it to [her baby] to gnaw on under my supervision. This soothes her.”
#5 Amber Teething Necklace:
- Umai Teething Necklaces ($19)- So, you’re probably wondering if they really work. I’m convinced that they do! And they’re so cute! Just a reminder to always take off the necklace before naps and bed time to prevent the rare but possible chance of strangulation. Bonus: Umai is a 101 mama’s company and they offer free shipping!
#6 Drugs 😅
Infant Motrin ($6)- On the opposite end of the spectrum from all these natural remedies, there’s always Motrin, which is generally safe for infants if used in moderation and following instructions. For teething, Motrin is better than Tylenol because it’s an anti-inflammatory.
