Teething is when new teeth start to push through your baby's gums. You may see swollen gums or little points of white pushing through the gum.
Your baby may:
Wash your hands. Find your baby's swollen gums. Rub them with your finger for 2 minutes. Do this as often as needed. Putting pressure on the sore gum can reduce the discomfort.
Your baby likes to chew on smooth, hard things when teething. Give your baby a teething ring. That lets your baby chew on something safe. You can chill the ring in the refrigerator. Avoid ice or other frozen items.
Do not give your baby ice, Popsicles, or other frozen things. The cold can hurt the gums. It could even cause frostbite. Do not give hard foods like raw carrots. Your baby could choke on them.
Do not give your baby salty foods or acid foods like lemons or oranges. These can bother your baby's gums. Give your baby teething biscuits.
If your baby cries when she sucks on a bottle or nipple, change to a cup.
If your baby seems to have a lot of pain, give acetaminophen (Tylenol) for 1Â day. You don't need to buy special teething gels.
