healthpoint chemist group
we value your health & wellness

The PHARMACIST talks about …

Infant Teething

Infant teething time is a common loss of sleep period for new Mums and Dads although with a little knowledge the experience can be made less painful for both child and parent.

Teething is the term used to describe the emergence of the baby teeth or milk teeth. In order for the teeth to emerge they must push through the gums causing inflammation and sometimes pain.

The first teeth will usually erupt between 6 and 9 months with subsequent teeth following closely after. By the age of 3 most children will have twenty milk teeth.

Signs that your baby may have teething pain will include fussiness, crying, poor sleep, pulling or rubbing at the ear and dribbling. They may have a tendency to chew on something hard during the process as this can provide some comfort. This is where the use of teething rings or rubbing of ice cubes on the gums may help.

In particular the use of cold teething rings is a great idea. Other products for pain relief include both teething gels and syrups. The gels can be applied locally to the gums whilst syrups like paracetamol and ibuprofen can also assist in relieving the pain so ask your pharmacist about the most suitable.

Some children seem to make more saliva and so tend to dribble when these teeth erupt. This drooling may also develop a rash on their chin from constant dribbling. Regular application of zinc cream may help clear this up.

If you would like some more advice on infant teething call in and see one of our friendly Pharmacist's at your nearest Healthpoint Chemist.

Please Note: The advice on this website is to be used as an educational aid only. It is not intended to replace advice from your qualified GP or medical practitioner. Please ensure that you speak to them in relation to all of your health issues.