Tending to a teething baby is difficult: parents want to help but may be unsure how.
Teething usually starts at 4 to 7 months of age, when the 20 or so “baby teeth” that will appear by age three begin to grow.
Teething symptoms typically include “mild irritability, a low-grade fever, drooling, and an urge to chew something hard,” according to a special recommendations page from the United States Food and Drug Administration.
The organization stated that using medications such as benzocaine or lidocaine, as well as homeopathic remedies, is not the solution to teething pain.
In reality, “these products can be dangerous to children and can lead to serious injury, and even death,” the FDA stated.
Nonprescription oral health care products containing benzocaine are commonly marketed under the brand names Anbesol, Cepacol, Chloraseptic, HurriCaine, Orabase, Orajel, and Topex.
Avoid the temptation to use them on your teething baby.
“Using benzocaine products can lead to a serious, and sometimes fatal, condition called methemoglobinemia, in which the oxygen-carrying capacity of red blood cells is greatly reduced,” according to the FDA.
Similarly, products containing lidocaine are harmful to newborns.
“It can cause grave harm, such as heart problems, severe brain injury and even death,” said the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). “In addition, topical oral viscous lidocaine solution can cause seizures in infants and young children when too much is applied, or it is accidentally swallowed.”
Another hazard: Teething “necklaces.”
“The FDA also has received reports of death and serious injuries to infants and children, including strangulation and choking, caused by teething jewelry such as amber teething necklaces,” according to the regulator.
So, what works to relieve teething safely?
The FDA recommends gently rubbing and massaging your baby’s gums with a (washed and clean) finger to assist relieve their pain.
Giving them a rubber teething ring to chew on is also recommended. However, ensure that the ring is firm (not liquid-filled) and does not arrive to the baby hard and frozen from the freezer.
“If the object is too hard, it can hurt the child’s gums,” the FDA explained. “Supervise children so they don’t accidentally choke on the teething ring.”
If your baby is experiencing discomfort when teething, experts advise you to avoid using commercial treatments containing benzocaine or lidocaine.
