# A little assistance with a teething infant ... PLEASE!!!

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-little-assistance-with-a-teething-infant-please/607864>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [December 30, 2011, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-little-assistance-with-a-teething-infant-please/607864 "2011-12-30T19:14:48Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![Ashes\_Ashes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/db5fbb/32.png) [@Ashes\_Ashes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashes_Ashes)\
**Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-little-assistance-with-a-teething-infant-please/607864/41 "2012-01-06T00:30:36Z")

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> [@WhyNot](#):
>
> Clove oil has nothing to do with homeopathy. It’s an essential oil of the clove plant, and there’s no doubt as to its chemical constituents or efficacy. Dentists use it in some of their preps.  
> Willowbark’s okay, but I think meadowsweet is easier on the stomach, and for an infant or small child, lemon balm is a good addition - not because it’s a pain killer (it isn’t), but because it’s a very gentle nervine, and it helps anxious and upset kids chill out.

Re-reading; I see my post could be mis-interpreted. Herbalism and homeopathy are two different things. As I mentioned there are herbs out there that are effective. What always makes me worry is standardization. One brand or even batch could be stronger than another, etc.

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**Author:** ![missinformation](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d07c76/32.png) [@missinformation](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missinformation)\
**Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-little-assistance-with-a-teething-infant-please/607864/42 "2012-01-06T01:00:05Z")

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Lat here, but Baby Tylenol, a teething ring cold from the fridge, and ice pops all work wonders. So does the nubby teething pretzel that they still sell…the texture feels good on their gums…I put it in all my baby shower baskets…

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**Author:** ![markdash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@markdash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markdash)\
**Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-little-assistance-with-a-teething-infant-please/607864/43 "2012-01-06T01:17:02Z")

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Agree with previous posters that your child is likely just acting his age, not necessarily teething. Mrs. Dash and I are on our second dashling (age 10 months) and he still puts every damn thing he can get his hand on into his gaping maw.

Furthermore, neither of my children have ever seemed to have any discomfort from their teeth coming in (at least nothing audible). Therefore, I wouldn’t be so eager to give them something to dull the “pain” unless you’re pretty sure there’s actually some pain. Is your baby crying or being fussy more frequently than before?

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**Author:** ![rekkah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ee59a6/32.png) [@rekkah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rekkah)\
**Post date:** [January 6, 2012, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-little-assistance-with-a-teething-infant-please/607864/44 "2012-01-06T02:14:19Z")

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> [@MrDibble](#):
>
> Do you guys not have the choline salicylate + cetalkonium chloride gels, like Teejel and Bonjela?

> [@Ashes\_Ashes](#):
>
> Clove will give a numbing/distracting sensation and willow bark tea was, and still is, used as a painkiller. It’s incredibly rough on your stomach, so I’d avoid anything that had enough to be effective.

> [@WhyNot](#):
>
> Willowbark’s okay, but I think meadowsweet is easier on the stomach, and for an infant or small child, lemon balm is a good addition - not because it’s a pain killer (it isn’t), but because it’s a very gentle nervine, and it helps anxious and upset kids chill out.

Aspirin/salicylate is not recommended for children, because of the suspected link to [Reye’s syndrome](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reye's_syndrome#Aspirin).

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**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\
**Post date:** [February 1, 2018, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-little-assistance-with-a-teething-infant-please/607864/47 "2018-02-01T11:14:17Z")

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Reported woo spam

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