Gum’s the word

Welcome to the M&B clinic – our experts and mums will help you find the best strategy for coping with teething

Our expert this month: Dr Philippa Ridley, GP and M&B expert

Just when you thought your baby’s routine was sorted, a little, white, sharp thing pokes through a rosy gum and throws everything back into chaos. Suddenly you’re waking up at night, food is being spat out at you, and you’ve got a grizzly, dribbly little person who needs round-the-clock attention to contend with.

Of course, teething isn’t always like this – we all know someone whose baby cut his first teeth without so much as a whimper – but if you’re finding it hard work, you’re not alone.

Most babies go through a period of being very uncomfortable and grumpy when they’re cutting their pearly whites – but the good news is that it’s usually relatively short-lived and there’s plenty you can do to soothe the pain.

Top teething tips

• Give him something cool and hard to chew. ‘Most babies love to chomp when they’re teething and something cold to chew on is especially good,’ says Dr Ridley. A teething ring that you can put in the fridge is ideal, or try cold carrot sticks or apple rings. But never leave your baby alone with these, as they can pose a risk of choking (and don’t put teethers in the freezer, as this can damage the gums).

• If dribbling is a problem, use a bib to soak up the drool, and put Vaseline on your baby’s chin to stop it becoming raw and sore.

• Distraction can take your baby’s mind off teething. Take him for a walk, read him a story – and give him plenty of cuddles to reassure him.

• Your local chemist will be able to help out too. Look for sugar-free teething biscuits, like Bickiepegs (£6 for four packs), and teething gels (such as Bonjela, £2.79 for 15g, or Boots Sugar Free Teething Gel, £1.99 for 15g). These numb the gum – though they may be hard to apply. Nelsons Teetha Tablets (£4.20 for 24 tablets) and Boots Alternatives Teething Pain Relief (£3.99 for 24 sachets) are homeopathic remedies that work for some.

Calpol (£2.79 for 140ml) or Nurofen for Children (£3.59 for 100ml) can be used to ease pain. ‘As with any remedy, be sure to check the correct dose for the age of your baby,’ advises Dr Ridley.

How to tell if your baby’s teething

Talk to a group of mums and the list of symptoms associated with teething is endless. Red cheeks, chewing, crying, fever, pulling ears, going off food, diarrhoea, dribbling, nappy rash, swollen gums…

But the experts aren’t so sure. ‘Some things – including irritability, drooling, chewing, crying, swollen red and bumpy gums, and seeing the whiteness of a tooth through the gum – are certainly associated with teething,’ says Dr Ridley. ‘But if your baby has fever, is pulling his ears, has diarrhoea, or has gone off his food completely, these are unlikely to be caused by teething.’

Teething is often blamed for all sorts of symptoms that are actually more likely to be signs that your baby is ill. This is because, at six months, when the first tooth often comes through, your baby also starts to lose the immunity you passed on when you were pregnant, and is more likely to come down with colds or tummy bugs more easily. Do beware of mistaking teething for something more serious.

‘If your baby has a fever, diarrhoea and is screaming constantly, see the doctor,’ says Dr Ridley.

Cleaning teeth

‘As soon as the first tooth appears, start regular brushing,’ advises Dr Ridley.
Brush your baby’s teeth twice a day – every morning and again at bedtime. A baby toothbrush is fine.

If it’s easier at first, the British Dental Health Foundation suggests simply wiping teeth and gums with a clean cloth wrapped around your finger. Or use a ‘finger brush’ (about £2 from chemists), which you can pop on your fingertip like a thimble.
Stick to baby toothpaste as adult versions are too high in fluoride. It’s also important to watch what your baby eats and drinks.

For drinks, stick to milk or water. Fruit juice is high in natural sugar, so avoid it unless it’s at mealtimes, advises Philippa. ‘If you give your baby water and milk to start with, he’ll get used to it and not want anything else.’

If you do give your baby juice, dilute it down (one part juice to five parts water) and put it in a beaker not a bottle when your baby reaches six months.

Help for you

• The British Dental Health Foundation (dentalhealth.org.uk) has tips for keeping kids’ teeth healthy.

• For advice about teething, talk to your health visitor or call NHS Direct on 0845 4647.

Did you know your baby was born with a full set of 20 milk teeth? You probably couldn’t see them – they were hidden in his jaw, but at around six months, you may start to be painfully aware of them! This is when the first white tip usually pops through – although all babies are different, as Dr Philippa Ridley points out.

‘It’s not unusual for teeth to appear at three months – and being born with a tooth is not rare, either.’ Then there are late teethers who don’t get any pearly whites until almost 12 months. If your baby doesn’t have a tooth by his first birthday, have a chat with your health visitor.

Teeth don’t necessarily appear in the same order. But the typical pattern is: six months, lower central incisors; seven months, upper central incisors; eight months, upper lateral incisors; nine months, lower lateral incisors; 12 months, first molars; 18 months, canines; 24 months, second molars.

‘My mum-in-law came to the rescue!’

Vikki Lithgow, from South Lanarkshire, is mum to Niamh, 25 weeks

Niamh started teething when she was around ten weeks, so we’ve been putting up with it for a while! We’ve had a terrible time with her – she’s been grumpy, clingy and restless, and she has a permanently wet chin because of all the dribbling!

My mother-in-law recommended giving her Ashton & Parsons teething powder (£2.59 for 20 pack), and it really does seem to do the trick. We also rub Calgel (£1.9 for 10g) on her gums when she wakes up crying – this sorts her out straightaway and she soon goes back to sleep.

Her gums are very red and swollen, but she’s still hasn’t got any teeth. It’ll be a relief when they finally come through. 

‘Natural remedies are best’

Jacqui Haun, 26, from Staffordshire, mum to Anabel, 15months

My daughter has just got her fifth tooth. We tried everything from homeopathic tablets to gels and painkillers. Nothing really eased the discomfort. After the trouble of the first two teeth, I came across aloe vera products and since then we've used the Forever Living tooth gel (£4.96 for 130g) and Aloe Gelly (£10.59 for 118ml) on her gums as well as teethers.

She hasn't had any problems with her last three teeth and we’ve not needed to use painkillers since. Aloe vera is a natural painkiller and has anti-inflammatory properties.

‘Teethers and hard toys really help’

Julie Featherstone, 27, from East Yorkshire, is mum to Amelia Lauren, nine months and still gummy!

Amelia gets very grumpy and irritable when she’s teething – she puts her whole fist in her mouth and bites it. Her cheeks go very red and hot to the touch and she dribbles loads!

On top of that, she wakes up two or three times a night crying.
She started with the usual teething signs (red and hot cheeks and dribbling excessively) at about ten weeks old, but she doesn’t have any teeth through yet. We use Dentinox gel (£2.19 for 15g) as it can be reapplied after 20 minutes and also give her teethers and hard toys to chew on.

When Amelia is having a bad night with teething we also use Calprofen (£4.99 16 pack) to relieve the pain and help her sleep