Natural Teething Remedies That Actually Work!

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Teething is a challenging time for parents, and even more for your baby. Anywhere from 3 months of age to 12 months the teething can start, and new teeths will continue to come until around age 3. 

So while teething may be a troublesome time, thankfully there are a lot of magical natural teething remedies for babies out there that may make this time a little less challenging.

I have personally tried many different natural teething remedies for infants with both of my babies, and I’m here to tell you, most of them actually worked! 

Baby Teething Symptoms

Teething symptoms include sensitive red gums, excessive drooling, decreased sleeping, inconsolable crying, decreased appetite due to soreness, chewing, rashes around the mouth or neck and rubbing of cheeks or ear. Low grade fever can also occur (this is controversial, although my kids almost always had a low grade fever when they were teething).

Pain from teething likely only comes when the teeth are breaking through the gums and can be seen or felt.

While teeth can erupt early, the most common age is 6 to 9 months.

I know how challenging this can be. At first, you might be thinking your child is sick or had a bad dream. You finally got past the messy newborn stage thinking you’re finally going to get some rest and then the teething stage starts.

Now you might wonder, what works best for teething and how can I soothe my teething baby naturally?

27 Natural Teething Remedies for Babies

You might be wondering, what can I give my baby for teething pain?

These all-natural teething remedies for babies are things I learned along the way as a mom and have worked like magic for my two kids and some others worked great for my friend’s kids.

These tips will help you ease your baby’s teething symptoms while avoiding toxic chemicals, parabens, and medication.

Ice

Cold is a very popular, and natural teething remedy to temporarily numb the gum pain. Freeze a number of safe items for your baby to chew on.

Just don’t forget that the items you give your baby to chew on must not be a choking hazard and it’s important to give your baby something only when you can observe what’s happening.

Freeze a Washcloth

A frozen washcloth is a really simple item to wet and freeze for 20 to 30 minutes. When it’s cold and stiff it’s ready to be used and it will stay cold for several minutes.

The washcloth should be too big to be swallowed. You can tie one end of the cloth in a knot before freezing for some variation, or soak the cloth in chamomile tea instead of water.

Nippi Teether

The Nippi Teether is another great alternative to a normal pacifier but better. It provides cold soothing gum teething relief. All you do is add water and pop it in the freezer.

As a DIY alternative to the Nippi Teether you can fill a bottle with water and freeze it (upside down so that the water freezes in the nipple) and then your baby can chew on the cold nipple. Frozen water in a pacifier also has the same effect.

Baby Food Feeders

Frozen fruit like apples, mangoes, bananas, berries like blueberries or strawberries or veggies like carrots can be placed in a baby-safe mesh feeder or a silicone feeder. Your teething baby can chew on these for both pain relief and to discover new flavors. The feeder helps reduce the risk of choking, only small pieces of food get through the mesh net.

I highly recommend these mesh feeders, they helped both my babies with the teething pain and kept them busy for a moment. Win, win!

Teething Mitt

Most likely your little one is chewing on their hands. Why not provide your baby with a teething mitt that will massage their painful gums while also keeping them entertained. When baby wears and bite this mitt, it makes a slight noise. The stimulating crinkle sound will keep them entertained.

Another great benefit is that it stays on the baby’s hand all the time and your baby can avoid dropping it on the ground.

Breastfeeding

If you are breastfeeding, nursing is often a great way to give your baby comfort, and this also often works well as a natural teething remedy.

Don’t feel the pressure that you have to keep nursing if it’s not working. Try other options if pain is still an issue. Also, for some babies, Mom’s breast can be tempting to bite on. This was a big problem with my first baby when he was teething. 

Freeze Your Breast Milk 

Breast milk is really powerful and can be used for so many things. It’s like magic!

Pour some breast milk into a baby popsicle mold. If your baby has been introduced to solids, you can even add some fruits and veggies to your milk before freezing. 

You can also put breastmilk in an ice-cube tray and put the ice cubes into the mesh feeders above. Or just simply place some frozen breast milk in a washcloth or muslin blanket for your baby to gnaw/suck on. Both will work and your baby will love it.

Chamomile

Chamomile has been used as an herbal remedy for thousands of years in a number of cultures. You can make your own popsicles and mix fruit with chamomile tea. The combination of the chamomile tea and cold will soothe the teething pain.

You also might be wondering what helps a teething baby sleep?

Chamomile tea is great for nighttime use as it should make your baby sleepy.

Make sure that the tea you give to your baby is caffeine-free. You should also never give tea made from plants from a garden, due to the risk of botulism.

You can freeze chamomile tea into the mesh teethers mentioned above, offer a few cool sips on a spoon, or rub a chamomile tea-dipped finger on your baby’s gums.

Camilia Teething Relief is another option with chamomile as the main ingredient. It’s considered as a safe over-the-counter product. The chamomile is supposed to soothe the gums, and it also contains Chinese rhubarb which can help with the diarrhea that can be associated with teething.

This soothing gel containing chamomile and other natural ingredients for sore gums is also recommended by many parents.

Teething Rings

I had a bunch of these around the house. Teething rings can be placed in the fridge and chill out baby’s pain.

Make sure the one you choose is BPA-free and only filled with water, just in case a hole develops. These should not be completely frozen since it will make them very hard for the baby’s mouth.

Amber Teething Necklaces

Baltic amber jewelry, worn as a necklace or a bracelet is an old teething remedy that has been used for centuries to provide relief to teething babies.

Amber teething necklaces are a safe alternative to chemical teething tablets. Amber’s natural succinic acid is a natural pain reliever and inflammation reducer which boosts the immune system and reduces gum swelling, drooling and fussiness. Body heat releases the succinic acid contained in the stones.

These natural teething necklaces are developed to be worn by your baby (not chewed on).

Remember that any teething remedy you use for your baby should be safe and non-toxic. Ask your pediatrician or dentist if you have any concerns.

Peeled Ginger Roth

Ginger is a natural way to relieve teething pain that works anti inflammatory by soothing the nerve endings in the gums. For the best effect, rub your baby’s gums with a slice of peeled ginger for 2-3 minutes.

Pressure and Massage

Place your clean finger gently on your baby’s gum or do gentle gum massage. This can sometimes be a simple trick to ease the pain.

A wooden spoon or wooden teething rings can also offer natural pressure against the tooth that’s breaking through. Wooden teething rings are great for older teethers because they can’t break.

Chewbeads Teething Necklace

If you’re on the go, want to add something extra to your outfit, and also want something your baby can safely chew on as a natural teething remedy, try a teething necklace.

Beaded necklaces can fall apart and become a choking hazard when babies try to chew on them. The chewbeads necklaces are designed with soft and nontoxic pieces and you don’t have to worry about them falling apart.

Chewing on a Toothbrush

Getting your baby used to having a toothbrush in their mouth can promote good dental health while also giving their gums a gentle massage as pain relief. l really love this baby toothbrush as it’s BPA free, has very soft bristles and an anti-choking and chewable-friendly design.

Vibrating Teether

A vibrating teether is a great way to ease baby’s sore gums and eliminate some of the discomfort. It also works as an interactive toy, by activating the massage mechanism the baby begins to learn cause and effect.

Easily Dissolving Teething Snacks

There are many different brands that offer organic teething snacks that are easily dissolving. Many parents are finding teething wafers really helpful. 

My kids loved these. These teething wafers contain real fruits, juice, and veggies. They are also self dissolving, while helping to soothe your baby’s painful gums which is a real winner in my book.

Teething Bibs

These teething bibs with organic cotton not only work as bibs to soak up your baby’s drool, but also as a teether to help soothe painful gums. A great multi-use product.

Essential Oils

Essential oils need to be used with caution, especially on babies. The oils I use are 100% pure oils so this not only means they’re working but it also means they’re potent. Make sure to store them safely away from children.

Lavender Oil is very calming and will help your baby relax when stressed. 

Clove oil is another essential oil that is used as a teething remedy. It provides a numbing sensation to the gums to help with pain relief. This oil is a potent oil and can irritate skin so it’s better suited for older babies/toddlers (18+ months).

Make your own DIY teething cream for toddlers, by melting together coconut oil and food-grade cocoa butter and mix in some clove oil. Let this mixture cool in the fridge into a creamy texture. Many parents consider this cream as one of the best natural teething remedies for toddlers.

Just remember when using essential oils, only apply it on the outside of the baby’s cheeks along their jaw line, and never inside the mouth.

Hyland’s Teething Tablets

Both of my babies had the most of their teething pain at night. When nothing else worked against the pain, I gave them one tablet of Hyland’s teething tablets and just within a couple of minutes they usually felt better and fell right back asleep.

This is a homeopathic remedy and the active ingredients are Chamomilla that reduces irritability and inflammation, Coffea Cruda that relieves symptoms of wakefulness. Hyland’s has been producing homeopathic medicines since 1903. Always do your own research and talk to your doctor if you have any questions.

DIY Rice Pouches

Take a clean washcloth and place one tablespoon of raw rice into the middle of the cloth. Wrap it up and tie it off with a rubber band. Then place it in the freezer. Wet the pouch with water and give it to your baby to chew on. Your baby will love the texture and the cold from the pouch.

Facial Massage

During the day, try to give your baby a face massage by rubbing their face, jaw, and gums in a circular motion. This is one of the most relaxing natural teething remedies for your baby. Some babies will not have any effect by this treatment, but other times it will work like magic.

Chilled Spoons

Chill a metal spoon in the refrigerator for a few hours, then let your baby gnaw on it. Wooden mixing spoons also have a texture that babies enjoy.

Green Onions

Green onions for teething babies are great. Onion has anti-inflammatory properties and helps soothe and numb the gums. Cut the green part off of long green onions, add a small amount of salt to the remaining white part, and give it to your baby to chew. You can also grill the onions to make them softer and easier to chew on or freeze them to numb the gum pain.

Frozen Pickle Juice

The sour juice in pickles adds a numbing sensation to the gums. Wet a washcloth with the pickle juice and freeze it for a safe, choke-free option.

Licorice Root

Licorice Root is known as an old teething remedy, it’s a herb that can usually be found in natural food stores.

It tastes sweet, and naturally numbs the gums when your baby chews. Just keep in mind that it’s not the same thing as licorice candy, which should be avoided for babies!

Catnip Tea

Catnip has a calming effect that makes the nerves more relaxed and can also reduce fever.

Add a small amount of catnip to chamomile tea and freeze the mixture into popsicles, or soak into a washcloth. It is considered as a safe natural relief, for babies.

Bath Time

Having a warm bath will help your baby to relax their body and offer an awesome distraction from the constant pain. Baths also provide a change of scenery, which can help to think about something else than the teething issues.

Related: Diaper Changing Hacks Everyone Should Know

Conclusion

I hope some of these natural teething remedies will work for you and your baby! I know how challenging those teething years can be and so many sleepless nights!

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