The safest and most effective options for teething relief are simple: cold pressure on the gums, solid teething toys made from safe materials, and infant pain relievers when your baby is really struggling. Most teething discomfort can be managed without medication at all, and some popular products on store shelves are actually dangerous for babies.
What Works Best Without Medication
Gum pressure is the single most reliable way to ease teething pain. Use a clean finger or a piece of wet gauze and rub your baby’s gums for about two minutes. You can do this as often as your baby needs it. The counter-pressure directly soothes the aching spot where a tooth is pushing through, and most babies calm down quickly once you find the right area.
Cold also helps numb sore gums. A chilled (not frozen) washcloth works well. Wet a clean washcloth, wring it out, and put it in the refrigerator for 15 to 30 minutes, then let your baby gnaw on it. You can also chill a solid teething ring in the fridge. Avoid putting teething rings in the freezer, since frozen-hard objects can bruise tender gums.
Choosing a Safe Teething Toy
Silicone and natural wood are the safest materials for teethers. Look for solid, one-piece designs without liquid filling, small parts, or anything that could break off and become a choking hazard. Liquid-filled teething rings can leak, and pieces of cheaper plastic toys can chip under repeated chewing.
It’s tempting to hand your baby whatever is nearby, but common household items can be surprisingly risky. Keys often contain brass with up to 2.5% lead, even when they’re plated in another metal that can wear off. Remote controls contain batteries and flame retardants. Cell phones have heavy metals, flame retardants, and plasticizers that come off with chewing, plus small pieces can chip free. Jewelry, whether metal or plastic, can contain lead, cadmium, or hormone-disrupting chemicals. Even plastic sunglasses are typically made with a polycarbonate that contains BPA. Stick to products specifically designed and tested as baby teethers.
When Pain Relievers Make Sense
If your baby is clearly miserable and non-drug methods aren’t cutting it, infant acetaminophen is safe for babies 3 months and older. Infant ibuprofen is an option starting at 6 months. Both are dosed by weight, not age, so check the packaging carefully or ask your pediatrician for the right amount.
For acetaminophen liquid (160 mg per 5 mL), babies weighing 12 to 17 pounds get 2.5 mL, and those 18 to 23 pounds get 3.75 mL. You can give it every 4 to 6 hours as needed. For ibuprofen liquid (100 mg per 5 mL), babies 18 to 23 pounds get 3.75 mL, and those 24 to 35 pounds get 5 mL, every 6 to 8 hours. These are occasional tools for rough nights or peak discomfort, not something to use around the clock for weeks.
Products to Avoid Completely
Numbing gels and teething gels containing benzocaine or lidocaine should never be used on babies. The FDA has issued explicit warnings that these products can cause serious harm, including death. Benzocaine can trigger a condition called methemoglobinemia, where your baby’s red blood cells lose most of their ability to carry oxygen. Lidocaine solutions can cause seizures, severe brain injury, and heart problems in infants, especially if too much is applied or accidentally swallowed. These gels provide little to no actual benefit for teething pain, so the risk is entirely unjustified.
Homeopathic teething tablets are also unsafe. The FDA warned consumers to stop using homeopathic teething tablets containing belladonna after testing revealed that products from major brands like Hyland’s and CVS contained wildly inconsistent levels of toxic compounds. Some tablets had far more belladonna alkaloids than their labels stated. Hyland’s voluntarily recalled its teething tablets nationwide in 2017. If you have any homeopathic teething tablets at home, throw them away.
Amber teething necklaces are another product to skip entirely. They pose a strangulation risk and a choking hazard if beads break free, and there’s no scientific evidence that amber releases any pain-relieving substance through skin contact.
Teething Symptoms vs. Illness
Teething causes fussiness, drooling, a desire to chew on things, and sometimes mild gum swelling. That’s essentially the full list. Teething does not cause fever or diarrhea. These are common myths, but medical evidence doesn’t support them. If your baby develops a true fever (100.4°F or higher) or diarrhea during teething, something else is going on and needs attention from your pediatrician.
Babies start teething anywhere from 4 to 7 months, and the lower front teeth usually appear first. The process continues in waves until around age 3, when most children have all 20 baby teeth. Some stretches will be worse than others, particularly when molars come in during the toddler years.
Starting Dental Care Early
Once that first tooth breaks through, it’s time to start thinking about dental visits. Experts recommend scheduling your baby’s first dental appointment within 6 months of the first tooth appearing, or by 12 months of age at the latest. Early visits establish a baseline, catch any issues with tooth development, and give you a chance to ask about fluoride, cleaning routines, and what to expect as more teeth arrive.