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6 Natural Teething Remedies - that really help
  • Motherhood

6 Natural Teething Remedies for Baby (That Really Help!)

Katie WellsAug 31, 2016Updated: Aug 27, 2019
Reading Time: 4 min

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Wellness Mama » Blog » Motherhood » 6 Natural Teething Remedies for Baby (That Really Help!)

At more than one point in time I have had as many as three children teething in my home. The older children are able to understand what is going on but the baby just doesn’t understand why there is an aching pain in his mouth.

It seems to happen the same way every time. After several days (sometimes weeks) of the baby being irritable and fussy, I noticed a red bulge in baby’s mouth and have the ah-ha moment. Teething, of course! Now all the fussiness and whining makes perfect sense.

Natural Teething Remedies

Teething is hard work and unfortunately it is something we all must go through. Thankfully, most of us don’t remember the pain! But what can you do to help your little one through this milestone?

I’ve found the following teething remedies to work well and give some much needed relief for our children.

1. Cold

Applying something cold to help numb the gums is very effective and soothing for teething pain. There are several easy and virtually free ways to do this with things you probably already have in your home.

  • Partially freeze a clean, wet cloth. Let your little one chew on the cold cloth to help numb the area and reduce swelling.
  • Some children experience a lack of appetite when they are teething. It may help to offer soft, cool foods such as homemade applesauce, chilled pieces of fruit (for older babies already eating solids), and homemade yogurt.
  • Offer your baby an ice cube placed in a securely tied small muslin bag.
  • I am not a fan of mesh baby feeders because they are very difficult to clean, but there are silicone ones available now and they are handy for teething babies. You can put partially frozen fruit (bananas work well) or even breastmilk ice cubes in them to give baby something cold to safely munch on.

2. Apply Pressure

It is often easy to tell when a baby starts teething because they really begin to chew everything, quite similar to a puppy. The counter-pressure seems to help soothe the pain. They chew on fingers, toys, furniture (here is a great tutorial for protecting crib railings), and even siblings!

There is no shortage of options for colorful, soft baby teething toys, but there are certainly some that I would never want my baby to chew on. However, I have found some that I am comfortable with and that are still fun and cute.

  • The most convenient teething tool out there is your own clean hand. If you can stand the gnawing, offer your baby your clean knuckle and he will happily chew away. You might think twice however, if your little one already has teeth. Those little chompers are mighty powerful!
  • Make your own! I bought a maple wooden ring made in the U.S.A. (like this one) and cut several strips of organic knit cotton. The knit doesn’t fray very much so I didn’t even finish the edges. Cut 3 or 4 strips (about 2″ x 10″) and knot each end. Loop it through the ring, fold the strip in half, and tie 2 or 3 over hand knots so that it leaves little tails. Here is a cute one if you don’t want to make it.
  • Haba Toys are made to much stricter European safety standards and offer a colorful array of toys for children and babies.
  • My daughter loves these soft silicone teething toys. They are easy for her to hold but also are shaped in a way that allows her to reach her back gums.
  • No teething toy list would be complete without Sophie the Giraffe. This natural rubber teething toy is irresistible to babies and mommies alike. In fact, it has gained enormous popularity in recent years. Made with natural rubber and food grade paint so it is safe for teething (though the colors do fade over time).

3. Teething Jewelry

Wear a teether! A friend of mine gave me a silicone teething necklace after I had my last baby and I really like it because it is so handy, doesn’t fall on the ground, and it distracts the baby from pulling at my earrings. She also really loves to chew on the soft beads and they are surprisingly cute to wear.

4. Chamomile

Chamomile is naturally calming and helps relax nerves and soothe pain. I am never without chamomile in my home. There are several ways you can use chamomile to soothe teething pain.

  • Tea – make a weak tea and freeze it in ice cube trays. Place a frozen tea cube in a muslin bag and secure it tightly. Now your baby can gnaw on the bag and benefit from the chamomile as the cube melts.
  • Tincture – this is quite easy to make yourself and you can place a drop or two on your finger and rub it onto your baby’s gums to soothe teething pain.
  • Essential Oil – I am very cautious when using essential oils, especially on children, but when they are used correctly and at the proper dilution, essential oils can be a very helpful home remedy. Mix 1 drop of chamomile essential oil into 1 tablespoon of a carrier oil (such as coconut or olive). Rub a small amount on baby’s gums to help relieve pain.

5. Amber Teething Necklace

Amber necklaces have gained a lot of popularity in recent years. The theory is that the warmth of the baby’s body releases the succinic acid found in Baltic amber. Succinic acid can have analgesic properties which help relieve pain in the body. It is difficult to prove one way or another whether these necklaces are effective but there are many, many testimonials and reviews sharing success stories.

It goes without saying that extreme care should be taken when anything is placed around a baby’s neck and they should be removed for sleeping. I personally use an amber necklace for our daughter but it may not be successful for all babies.

6. Topical Pain Relief

  • Homeopathic remedies like Hyland’s Teething Tablets can provide great relief for sore gums. They are readily available in most stores and the active ingredients are safe and natural. At one time there was a recall but the product was reformulated (out of an abundance of caution). You can read about the recall here.
  • For children over the age of 2 you can use clove essential oil. Clove oil has a numbing effect on the gums that studies have shown to work as well as benzocaine. Mix 1 drop of clove oil with 1 tablespoon of a carrier oil (coconut or olive) and rub on the gums a few times a day. This would be helpful for adults with tooth pain as well, just increase the clove oil.

Cutting teeth can be a rough time for both mom (and dad!) and baby, but with a few natural teething remedies like these, it can be much easier and less painful to get through.

Have you tried any of these teething remedies? What remedies have you found to be helpful for teething babies?

Category: Motherhood

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About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a wife and mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

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Reader Interactions

Discussion (41 Comments)

  1. Roxanne

    September 8, 2016 at 2:09 AM

    I found that cold drinks helps soothe the pain and my baby in dealing with teething.

    Reply
  2. Laura

    September 7, 2016 at 11:17 AM

    There is little scientific evidence behind the efficacy of amber teething necklaces. Here are links to some articles:

    https://scienceornot.net/2012/10/30/amber-necklaces-and-teething-babies/
    https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/amber-waves-of-woo/

    Reply
  3. Daryl

    September 4, 2016 at 3:46 PM

    Camilia has worked for both my kids too. And very safe.

    Reply
  4. Trisha

    September 4, 2016 at 3:03 PM

    Rats! dealing with 2 yo teething now, and I gave him ibuprophen:( Should have thought to try something natural.

    Reply
  5. Tara

    September 4, 2016 at 2:27 PM

    Can I ask why clove oil is only okay for babies over 2?

    Reply
  6. Ashley

    September 2, 2016 at 8:16 AM

    We love our silicone teething necklaces!

    Reply
  7. Stacey

    September 1, 2016 at 9:07 AM

    We love Camilia. It really takes the edge off.

    Reply
    • Cindy

      September 4, 2016 at 6:26 AM

      This was my favorite teething remedy, too, the homeopathic remedy Camilla (in liquid form).

      Reply
  8. Harmony

    September 1, 2016 at 5:37 AM

    Hazelwood necklaces also work great! It’s what I’ve used on both of my children with great success- once I finally clued into the “they’re teething” diagnosis lol and put a hazelwood necklace on them there was never anymore fussiness. In fact a new lil pearly white would actually break through before I’d even realize they teething again. Hazelwood, which has now been proven to have anti-inflammatory compounds, absorbs the acid produced when teething. The wood is very light in color when placed on the skin and within a couple weeks you see it has turned noticeably dark, once it turns almost black, it’s time to replace it.
    These necklaces can also be used for a variety of other conditions too, eczema, heartburn, arthritis…..

    Reply
    • June Morgan

      March 27, 2017 at 1:40 PM

      Hi where to get a hazel wood necklace

      Reply
      • Harmony

        April 18, 2017 at 5:53 PM

        Pure Hazelwood.com – great company I’ve purchased from myself –

        Reply
  9. Amber

    September 1, 2016 at 3:03 AM

    Thank you! I’ve used some of your diy posts a while back but this last week we’ve changed our diet thanks to your blog! Needless to say, now I’m obsessed. 🙂 We are dealing with teething in our house right now so this was very timely.
    I read about using 1 tablespoon coconut oil mixed with a drop of lavender EO and rubbing it on the outside of the cheek/jawline. It seemed to help my little one enough last night but I don’t know if it was more from the calming/sleepy effect (although she gets lavender oil every night for bed and hasn’t been helping during teething, although this was right on her face) and the massaging of the gums from the cheek.

    Reply
  10. anna

    September 1, 2016 at 1:39 AM

    Chamomilla is great and safe as a homeopathic remedy 🙂 comes in granules so super easy to give baby

    Reply
    • Renee Thompson

      September 2, 2016 at 3:38 PM

      We use chamomilla. Very quick and calming for my baby. Love Sophie the Giraffe too.

      Reply
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