It’s the middle of the night, and you’re off in a distant land of your own imagination, fast asleep under the soft covers.

That is until you hear a piercing scream, followed by what sounds like extremely distressed wailing.

Startled, you sit up in bed. It’s your baby, they must need you.

When you reach your little one’s room, the crying only gets louder. Although your baby tends to cry a lot, this time it feels different. They’re red in the face, they’re snotty, they’re dribbling like mad. And their crying feels a lot more desperate, more agitated. You do everything to try to calm them down. You cuddle them, stroke their head, and offer up the bottle. But nothing seems to be working.

And then you look inside their mouth and it clicks: they’ve started teething.

Teething is a normal part of every baby’s development. As nearly every baby is born toothless, there will come a time when they have to go through the sometimes painful process of teething – which will usually be around six months. However, if your baby starts teething before this, or after this, don’t worry, this is also perfectly normal.

As a parent, it can be horrible to see your baby in pain, and with over twenty baby teeth to grow, it’s far from the most pleasant thing they’ll go through. However, there are lots of things you can do to soothe their pain.

So, let’s explore some of them!

What can I do to soothe my teething baby?

Give them something hard and non-sugary to chew on. For example, a peeled carrot straight from the fridge will be very soothing. Alternatively, your baby might enjoy chewing on a breadstick. You can also purchase a teething ring full of a cold gel that will ease discomfort.

Try pain relief medicine. If your baby is clearly in consistent pain, then it will be helpful to give them some pain relief medicine. If you’re unsure which is the most suitable for them, contact your paediatrician.

Now that we’ve looked at what you can do to soothe your baby when they are teething, let’s take a deeper dive into how you can look after your baby’s teeth.

How can I look after my baby’s teeth in general?

Avoid prolonged contact with sugary food and drinks. We all know that it’s best to avoid sugary food and drinks, especially when it comes to our little ones. But did you know that ensuring that sugary foods aren’t in your child’s mouth for a long period of time is just as important! So, try to limit things like sweet drinks (even fruit juice), lollipops, raisins, dried fruit, etc.

Keep juice to mealtimes only. Although it’s good to limit fruit juice, children do enjoy this type of drink. Therefore, it’s perfectly fine to give it to them at mealtimes, and even better if you dilute it with water.

Start brushing as soon as your baby’s teeth start to come through. To ensure you’re on top of your baby’s oral hygiene right from the start, start brushing their teeth as soon as they start to come through. You can do this with a baby toothbrush and a small smear of fluoride toothpaste.

Get your baby used to the brushing routine – morning and night. Don’t be surprised if your baby protests against having their teeth brushed at first. It will take a bit of getting used to! The most important thing is to be consistent and get them used to it.

How do I look after my baby's teeth?