How can mothers make child teething easy and less painful?
If children have a healthy constitution because he was fed on his mother’s milk alone, the symptoms accompanying teething will not be difficult and management of the child will be as simple and easy.
The symptoms of natural dentition is characterized by an increased flow of saliva, swelling and heat of the gums, and occasionally flushing of the cheeks. The child often plunges his fingers, or something in its scope, in its mouth. His thirst is increased, and takes the breast more frequently but for on short periods. The infant may also show worry and agitation and sudden f crying and occasional startling from sleep, with a slight tendency to vomiting. Many of these symptoms often precede the appearance of the tooth by several weeks. This indicates that the so-called “breeding the teeth” is in the process. In such cases, symptoms disappear within a few days, to recur again when the tooth approaches the surface of the gum.
Treatment or management of the child in this case is very simple, and rarely calls for the interference of the doctor. The child must be in the open air, and well exercised: the bowels should be kept freely open with castor oil, and still be slightly relaxed at this time. Cold sponging must be employed daily, and body surface rubbed dry in the rough with a flannel as the delicate skin of children are doing; friction will be very useful. The breast should be given often, but not for long at a time, the thirst will thus be allayed, the gums kept moist and relaxed, and their irritation soothed, without the stomach being overloaded. The mother must also carefully attend at this stage of his own health and diet, and avoid all stimulant food or drinks.
From the moment dentition begins, pressure on the gums is to be pleasing to the child, by numbing and dulling of sensitivity to pain. For this purpose coral is usually employed, or a piece of Orris-root, or scraped liquorice root, a flat ivory ring, however, is far better and safer because there is no danger of its thrust into the eyes or nose. Gentle rubbing of the gums, also, by the finger of the nurse, is pleasing to the child, and, as he seems to have some effect in calming the irritation, May is frequently used. In France, it is handy to dip the liquorice root, and other substances in honey or sugar, candy, and Germany, a small bag containing a mixture of sugar and spices, is given the child to suck, whenever it is disturbed and uneasy during teething. The consistent use, however, sweet and stimulating ingredients must do injury to the stomach, and makes his job very wrong.