Treating teething naturally: 5 essential tips 2023 updated

Today I wanted to talk about teething – and how to treat teething naturally. Out of all my motherhood experiences to date, teething has to be up there with some of the worst. While some tots seem to breeze through teething without so much of a yelp, our little girl had an absolute shocker from five months right until she cut her last round of molars. It’s no wonder, therefore, that research by Nelsons Baby found that over a third (39%) of parents cited teething as the most distressing ailment for parents.

Of course, with such an extended period of teething (and the wailing, screeching and sleepless nights that came with it) you can understand why I was keen to ease the pain of symptoms as naturally as possible – living off medicinal pain relief for the best part of two years was in my mind – simply not an option. Having tried and tested practically everything in the book, I can now hand on heart say that I have some excellent  top tips for treating teething naturally

Signs your baby is teething

Teething is the process when a baby’s first set of teeth start to emerge through their gums. . It usually begins around 6 months of age, but it can vary. Some signs that a baby is teething may include:

Increased drooling: Teething can stimulate saliva production, so you may notice that your baby is drooling more than usual.

Chewing on objects: As the teeth move closer to the surface of the gums, babies may feel discomfort, and they may try to alleviate it by biting and chewing on objects.

Irritability and fussiness: Teething can be painful and uncomfortable, and babies may feel more irritable and fussy than usual.

Sleep disturbances: Discomfort from teething can also make it difficult for babies to sleep well, leading to more frequent night wakings or disrupted sleep.

Red or swollen gums: The area around the emerging tooth may appear red or swollen, and you may be able to see or feel the tooth underneath the gum.

Changes in appetite: Babies may be less interested in eating or drinking while they’re teething, possibly due to the discomfort in their mouths.

It’s important to note that not all babies experience teething symptoms, and some may have only mild discomfort. If you have concerns about your baby’s teething or if they’re experiencing severe symptoms, it’s always a good idea to consult with a healthcare professional.

Top tips for treating teething naturally 

1. Stock up on homeopathic teething granules to treat teething naturally

We lived off these round the clock and quite frankly, I just don’t know how I would have made it through our teething experience without them. They are heaven-sent for treating teething naturally. Containing a natural substance called chamomilla which soothes the pain caused by pesky emerging teeth they are absolutely brilliant in two ways – 1) that they seem to have an almost immediate effect, and 2) they can be taken every two hours for a maximum of six doses and thus the provider of peace and sleep – no need for an emergency dentist!

What I also love is the fact that so long as your baby is over 3 months, you can also double up the granules with teething gel and not have to worry about loading their gums with nasties. Look out for Nelsons Teetha Granules and Teething Gel in your local pharmacy and make sure you always have these to hand.

2. Find the right teether

Every other person will have some recommendation or other about what teether to use, and this can be a bit of trial and error. Be sure to keep an open mind – for the longest time my little one was happiest chewing on a wet cloth that had been knotted and frozen, carrots were also a hit for a while.

Amazingly she never really took to most of the commercial teething rings out there (they were always discarded), so experiment and go with what works for you. Baking them something hard to chew on like Baby Biscotti are always a winner and a good way of getting them to eat when they would rather pass.

3. Cold stuff is king

OK, so there is not much that is fun about teething, but there is a way to shine a little light on this. When faced with teething calamity, go forth and make lollies! Lollies are a great way of a) distracting from the teething gloom and doom your little one is experiencing but also b) the coolness really does help to sooth their gums, much as an ice pack would. It’s also a way of getting some nutritional value into them when their appetite is fading. Need some inspiration? Try whipping up some pear and banana ice lollies?

4. Massage the pain away to treat teething naturally

Although at first your little one might not be all that keen on having a finger in their mouth, they will soon feel the benefits of some gentle counter-pressure on their sore mouths. Old fashioned and effective – all that’s required is a clean finger!

5. Dish out the cuddles and comfort

Out of everything that I learned during the trials and tribulations of teething, is that a little bit of comfort and cuddles can go a long, long way. At the end of the day, if your little one is in pain and all of the above has been offered, your last port of the call to help ease the pain naturally is to use the warmth of your love. I spent so many hours wearing our little one on a carrier during her worst teething moments, and it’s incredible the instant relief that can bring.

18 comments

  1. This is great – my daughter just got her first tooth and whole she’s been sleeping okay at night, we’ve had a few grumpy days. Cold food seems to help – she had a great time sucking on a cucumber. #coolmumclub

    • Eeek the first of many poor thing. Whatever works – never heard of a cucumber but maybe that means she will love to eat them when she is older (double win?)

  2. What, you mean Calpol isn’t harvested from the tropical Calpol flower of Honolulu?…I should probably try more of these type soothing techniques! DM has erupted 12 teeth in three months, so definitely appreciating this post. 🙁 #coolmumclub

    • LOLLLLLLLL! No, did you come down in the last rainshower or are you just deluding yourself my dearest partner in crime? Quick, stock up on the Teetha!!!! Feeling your and DMs pain right now x

  3. Loved teething granules when my two were teeny and dribble bibs were a must, especially for my youngest.
    #coolmumclub

  4. I love nelsons teething granules & gel. I have one of each at home & one of each in the nappy bag. I love the homeopathic & natural ingredients in them. Teething is such a difficult time, it’s great to be able to give baby some relief. #coolmumclub

    • They are a life saver! Don’t know where I would be without them in all truth. Teething is the pitts! x

  5. We loved nelsons teething powder, they were the only things that ever really helped. We had amber necklaces for all of mine but didn’t really see any benefit! My boys teethed without a single whimper (first teeth at 5 months) where as my girls teethed for months and months (first teeth at 13 months!) and it was horrific! Teething sucks!! #coolmumclub

  6. We have the teething granules – to be honest, I’m not sure whether they made much difference to ours. But actually we’ve been lucky so far with teething – nothing worse than mild whinging! I think maybe we would have seen more impact from granules and teethers if symptoms more severe in first place. #coolmumclub

    • You are so lucky! We had a nightmare and actually my daughter has started asking for the again as her final molars are just rearranging themselves and hurting her whole mouth! Each child is different though…

  7. We used them all the time, probably in vain…nothing seemed to help but I liked them a lot and you’ve got to try what you can. My son has all his baby teeth, I celebrated for six weeks and then he started teething AGAIN! I took him to the dentist in case I’d miscounted but no. Apparently that’s v normal, whhhhy!? #coolmumclub

  8. We were so lucky with teething-didn’t even know either of them were getting teeth! But before you hate me, they’ve more than made up for it in other demonic, torturous ways!!
    #coolmumclub

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