Teething - San Bruno, CA

My husband used to do that to my step son and he was fine with it. I think that it would be good to do. Just a little bit and it is fine.

Hi, there. I have heard of people using those methods before and some people say it works really well. i have tried the oragel before and I didn't like it because it numbs the pain for a very little amount of time. my pediatrician recommend to give my little one tylenol or motrin, and give my baby a teething ring. that's what i have been doing and seems to be working pretty well.

The best thing out there for teething is Hyland's Teething Tablets. They're homeopathic and dissolve instantly under the tongue.
My understanding is Orajel just wears off due to their drooling.
The teething tablets have been a life saver for me!

L.,

I think using alcohol was more acceptable back when we were babies, fortunately for us now, there are alternatives. My son just turned 1 and has 7 teeth, I swear by the Hylands Teething Tablets. You can pick them up at any super market. You just let a couple dissolve in their mouth and it offers almost instant relief! Of course when it got really bad and he was getting 3 teeth all at once, a dose of infants tylenol or motirn came in pretty handy too! Hope my advice is helpful to you....have a great day!

S.

Hi L., personally I feel that the orajel works great! I had a tooth ache at one time, couldn't find the adult one, used my son's and wow, it totally numbed the area!! The freezer otter pops work great too, they are big and long so they fit in thier hands and you don't have to worry about them chocking. My mother-in once told me about beef jerky, I never tried it though. I had heard about the alcohol, I am hispanic, it is inevitable to hear from one relative or another about using it. Not to offend any other chicano's though. In the long run, it's up to you.

Steph

I wouldn't do it. And from what I've heard it doesnt do much anyways except maybe make the baby sleepy.

I swore by Hylands teething tablets and teething gel. I used both with my daughter (along with tylenol) and it worked wonders. Oragel never really did the trick for her pain. The teething tablets even helped my husbands pain from his wisdom teeth! So I figure if they can help an adults pain they probably work well for babies!

TEETHING TABLETS....they are heaven sent. Hybrid???? I think is the name of the brand, you can get them @ walmart they are located in the vitamin section they say they are made out of natural things but whatever it is they work!!!!

I'm really surprised in this day and age that anyone out there still would suggest using alcohol on a baby's gums, wow! Anyway, never do that, no matter what anyone else says. Alcohol going into a baby's system like that isn't good for them. Stick with the Orajel, or give her infant tylenol. A nice cold teething ring might help too. I know it's really rough to see them in pain, I hope she gets better soon!

i would definitely advise you against using vodka or whiskey on your babys gums. i have a parenting book which says that giving a baby alcohol, even in the smallest doses such as that which you would use to rub on a babys gums, is harmful to a small child, and even moreso to a 6 month old. also, alcohol has no topical anaesthetic properties. any "numbing" affect would be the same you would receive by giving her a drink.

Hi my name is H.. The way I did the teething thing was I used teething tablets. Get two, smash them between your fingers and rub it on her gums. These use can use all day and wont have any side effects because there natural. After that give her tynole so that way when the tablets wear off then the other will kick in. I actually learned that from my husband. It works, really. And maybe it even knock her out, sleep, lol. I dont believe in the wiskey or wine thing. Although I threat to do that when my kids were whiney, lol. No seriously it works.

I have heard of this before but have never tried it. I definitely is an age-old remedy... one that I can imagine is still used throughout Europe! My doctor recommended using Highland's teething gel. It is homeopathic (found it at Whole Foods) We used it but I don't know if it made much of a difference. Something that did seem to work was this popsicle net. It looks kind of like a big lollipop with a net on the end. You put frozen food (i.e. frozen mango puree, pears, apples) into the net and then your baby can suck on it. Not only is it fun and yummy but it keeps them busy for quite awhile. I have seen these at both Target and Right Start! Beware- a full shirt bib is the best when using this!

Good luck!
K.

A little dab won't hurt. I've heard whiskey used more for toothache than other alcohol.

L.,

It has been awhile, but pickle spears and cold spoons were what my kids cut their teeth on. I have also heard of some other things that aren't mentionable here.
J.

I use hylands teething tablets as well as an amber teething necklace. The necklace is not to chew on but rather it lays on the childs skin and as it warms to their body temperature it releases naturally anaglesics (like asprin for ex) It is an all natural remedy, from Europe. I dont think that it has taken away her discomfort, but I have noticed quite an improvement. I bought mine at Kissui Baby in Redlands. Hope that helps!!

Hi L.. I used Hylands Teething Tablets for both my kids. They work great! They are very small and dissolve almost instantly. I think that this is a much safer alternative than the alcohol products that were recommended to you. Here's what the packaging looking like:
http://www.hylands.com/products/teething.php

Hope your little girl gets some relief.

~S.

well i didn't think people still did this. But no dont do it. My mom told me about it my grandma did to. I kind of laughed it off. the main thing is alcohol has sugar in it. so your applying sugar to there teeth. I used teething tablets they worked very well. my wisdom teeth have been growing in for like 5 years now and for me oral gel does not work at all because me spit would always wash it away i can imagine it does the same for a baby.

My sons hates oragel, we tried it and he'd bawl. What did work was 2 or 3 Hylands Teething Tablets. If it's real bad, we give a dose of baby Tylenol and 3 tablets. I've found the Hylands tablets at Scolari's, Safeway, and WalMart. If it's not in the baby aisles with other teething stuff, try the natural foods section of Safeway.

I have 2 boys, ages 6 years & 21 months. I've heard of the booze on the gums but never done it. I never used the Oragel, but instead used Tylenol pain/fever reducer or a similar medication. My husband has the theory of 'staying ahead of the pain' which really seems to work. Don't wait until she's fussy & her gums hurt, give her the dose, say right after she eats & then be sure to give it again at the reccommened times, especially for bedtime. I've also heard of giving them stale bagels to gnaw on (if they're ready for holding food), a frozen washcloth & of course there's all those teeting rings/toys at the stores. Good luck!

Dear L.,

I haven't heard of that either, and neither did I use orajel, I just rubbed that part of his gums with my finger and a little ice. I don't think that I would do that, but you could ask around some older women and see what they say, also, ask a nurse or your doctor. I just don't feel comfortable about the vodka and whiskey. Maybe I am just old fashioned. C. N.

I haven't used this tip myslef, but yes, its very common and people do it :) My daughter is so easy that we haven't had to use anything, you would neve know that she is teething :)

LOL, thats funny. My parents, or I should say my dad did that to us when we were little and I think I turned out ok. But I didnt do it for my son. I used the teething tablets, they seems to work fast my for little guy. I'm sure some moms will be very offened that someone told you that, so don't worry, you do what you feel is right for your child. Hang in there, some nights may be rough.

This is something my parents suggested many many years ago! I did it once but did not see any great results and I felt guilty giving my baby alcohol. I found using a teething ring that could be put in the freezer helped and I also used a pain reliever on really bad days.

Best of luck. M.

Dont do it.My friend and mother both have done it.It does affect the baby a small amount.i think thats the worst advice you can give someone.My friends baby grew older and likes the taste of wiskey.I'm not saying all babies will grow up and like it but my friends baby does.She actually cries when she sees my friend drinking it...and she is only 5yrs old.My mom gave me some for my teeth and to put me to sleep..I dont know anywaz its up to you..but I perfer to give oragel..you can also freeze fruit and let them suck on it..or my personal fav freeze a wash cloth and let them suck on that.my son loved it..I ended up with freezer full of frozen washcloths..good luck

I prefer Motrin over any kind of topical cure. There is a stronger gel at your local pharmacy. It has more than twice the numbing agent than Orajel. It's called Hurricane Gel. But like I said earlier, Motrin did the trick for us. I'm not against medication though. I had twins and one of them complained a lot more than the other. We medicated her with Motrin on and off for about two years until she was done teething. Worked like a charm! Also, you can get a little more bang for your buck if you buy the liquid children's motrin vs tylenol. Also, use the generic brands. There is a conversion chart on askdrsears.com to calculate age/weight and amount of syrup to administer. I picked up a dropper from my pharmacy for free because the children's version only comes with a cup.

My husband's family is from England and they recommended Whiskey too. Although I never tried it.

I have used whiskey, that was what my grandma and mom said to use. I used it on my 6 year old and my 6 month old. There hasn't been any problems.

I havn't heard about the vodka thing, but I also recommend an amber teething necklace and hyland's teething tablets. My baby hasn't needed the tablets since getting her the necklace tho. Teething doesn't seem to bother her much anymore. :)

It will absolutely have an effect on the baby due to the alcohol content. I have a 18 month old and would strongly advise that you avoid anything of that sort. My child also had a difficult time (and still does) during teething periods. I have found a frozen washcloth, baby oragel (which you spoke of), Infant Tylenol (when necessary due to a fever they may aquire), but #1 recommendation (medication wise) Teething Tablets made by Hylands. It is 100% natural and worked wonders for my son. COMFORT (sounds simple) but can be your best tool during this period also. In the long run, though alcohol may calm a child it also can cause a huge variety of health concerns.
Best wishes to you and your little one.

Hi L.! I wouldn't give your baby any alcohol!! That's such an "old way" of doing things. my parents swore on it, but it's not safe. My kids didn't have too much of a hard time with teething, but on the days that were worse I gave them childrens tylenol (especially before bedtime). My kids also liked to suck on ice chips. Make sure you don't give big pieces though because they could choke. I would crush the ice very well (kinda like shaved ice). It would pretty much melt the instant it hit their mouths, but it felt great! Someone earlier mentioned a frozen washcloth, that's great too. good luck and let us know how you're doing!! :o)
S.

My daughter had a very, very hard time with her second tooth and the only thing that worked was tylenol before bed, or a nap otherwise we just tried to keep her occupied so she didn't think about the pain and that actually worked the best. Be careful with the hyland as it does contain lactose and your child may be lactose intolerent. We tried that with our daughter but she would get ill and puke every time we did. I would suggest talking to your doctor before trying any drug weather it's orajel, teething tablets or tylenol.

Hi L.. My grandma used to say this too....but I'd strongly caution you because of CPS. They might not think it's such a good idea.
When my son went through the teething stage, I asked his doctor about the baby orajel. He told me under no circumstances to use it! It thickens the baby's gums and actually makes it harder to push the teeth through. So although it may work to take the current pain away, it makes it worst in the long run.
I do have a point, bear with me! lol. I finally came across the teething tablets. They are not harmful to your baby, they have NO side effects, and they dissolve instantly in your baby's mouth so you don't have to worry about choking. Trust me, they take away the pain fast. It even says on the label that your child may sleep after taking them because the pain is finally gone and they can rest.
I buy the Hyland's Teething Tablets from Wal-Mart. I hope this helps you and I really hope you will try the tablets first. Take to your ped. I bet he (or she) has heard of these and will agree with me. Good luck. Write me and let me know how this worked for you. Best Wishes, T.

This is what women did in the "old days". I'm surprised that your Grandma never heard of it. It does effect the baby- alcohol is a poison. As for Orajel, I tried it with my first baby & he hated it, so I tried it in my mouth & found out why- it tastes horrible & causes an uncomfortable tingling sensation. I highly recommend Hyland's Homeopathic Teething Tablets. They worked very well for both my sons, are made from 100% natural ingredients, and cause no side effects. I get them from the baby aisle at Vons, but have also found them at other markets in the natural products aisle.

Hello L.,

Yes the alchol is a really OLD recipe that has worked in the past. So far I have thought about using that as a very LAST resort for my almost 8 months old daughter. I have however found that there is a homeopathic liquid that you can use for her gums that ca be used every 2-4 hours while her symptoms are really bad. plus ther are also tablets that dissolve in her mouth as well. I wasn't too keen on using the gels and stuff because there are various things I'm not too sure of (ingredients) but those are all natural so I feel fine giving them to her and so far we believe that she may be having more than one tooth comming in. She's been droolong alot but still haven't broken any teeth yet but has had the lowgrade fever. Also you could try the infant tylenol in between and alternate from there until her symptoms are easier for her to have. Good luck.

~M.

This is a very old remedy and I wouldn't use it. My dad tried it on me way back in the day. He said it didn't work and he felt guilty for giving me a taste of alcohol at such a young age. Oral gel is the safer way to go. Don’t forget about ice either. Putting a wet washcloth in the freezer and then that the baby chew on it has always worked for me.