Things mothers did before the invention of baby teething gel

Baby teething gel is a relatively new invention and it has not been around until the turn of the new millennium, the few instances of chemicals being used for pain relief caused due to teething. Though baby teething gel is the best and most efficient way of relieving teething discomforts, it is still to be accepted as the ubiquitous remedy to baby teething.

It is understandable when parents feel uncomfortable about putting chemicals in their kid’s mouth. They fear the chemical in the teething gel could affect the baby’s health negatively. Although these doubts are totally unfounded, nevertheless, parents cannot feel safe enough about these gels and they look for traditional solutions that do not involve usage of foreign chemicals. Here you will find a few of those solutions that mothers consider safe when it comes to relieving their babies of teething pains.

1.       Rubbing the gums: We all appreciate the value of a good massage and when your baby suffers from aching gum, you can relieve the discomfort with a slight massage on the gums until the baby starts feeling better. However while doing so, you must take care to wash your hand with soap and clean water. Increase in blood circulation acts as a natural pain relief and soothes the baby.

2.       Cold Clothes: Wet a soft, clean cotton cloth and keep it in the freezer overnight until the temperature drops below zero, then take it and gently dab along the gums of the baby until it makes him feel comfortable. Those who do not mind pharmacy replacements for cold wet cloth can try using chemical patches filled with cooling chemicals in it. These however are not ideal for kids with teeth. Sharp teeth can break into the protective sheath and puncture the pouch, releasing the gel.

3.       Natural oils:  Clove oil has been used as the most common remedy for toothache since time immemorial; the first usage of clove oil can be traced back to ancient India where Ayurveda gurus made use of pure clove oil to alleviate teeth ailments. In India, many parents still prefer clove or even olive oil over baby teething gel. However, it must be noted that clove oil is quite potent and in concentrated amounts causes a burning sensation in the soft gums of the baby.

With all these alternatives to over the counter baby teething gel is that most of these have been known to cause one issue or the other. For instance, oils when swallowed disturbs the kid’s digestive system, cold objects can cause health issues like cold and cough. Despite the mistrust, baby teething gels are medically proven to be safe, effective and perfectly fine for babies.

Tips for buying Baby Paste

Oral hygiene should begin from an early age. When we speak of oral hygiene, we invariably speak of toothpaste and toothbrush, but we often neglect the very fact that kids need a different variety of toothpaste that is low in fluoride content and other harmful ingredients. In addition to the toothpaste, the brush must also be specially made for the soft gum of babies. Unlike choosing brushes that are easy to touch and feel, choosing a baby paste is not as simple as smelling and tasting it! An average tube of baby paste might contain harmful levels of fluoride in it, enough to cause damage to the delicate baby gums and dentures.

Carefully Choosing a Baby Paste

Fluoride is a very important ingredient that helps in the formation of foam and cleans teeth, but fluoride is not nutritious or tasty or good for the health, in fact swallowing it regularly over time is known to cause harm. Having said that, Fluoride helps in keeping teeth strong and cavity free, therefore we suggest you choose a baby paste that has a very mild amount of the chemical in it, ideally about 1 milligram in every gram of the paste for babies less than 3 years old. For kids aged 3 and above, a baby paste slightly higher in fluoride content is recommended. 

Irrespective of the age, always instruct your kid to use little amounts of the paste. More paste will cause copious amounts of foam which may be too much for the small oral cavity to hold, and since kids have a propensity of swallowing everything until the age of 3, excessive paste will end up in their stomachs.

The Fluoride Confusion

Parents often get confused about over the topic of picking the right chemicals in baby paste. While some people are of the view that chemicals such as fluoride is necessary for healthy teeth and it should be present at least in little amounts in the paste, others are extremely unconvinced about the chemical’s worth. Baby teeth never stick too long anyway and by the time kids turn 6 they will have lost and regained most of the existing dentures. The final set of teeth that appears at the end of the sixth year is what is believed to stay with the owner for the rest of the life. So the general opinion among dentist is to skip fluoride or use it in very small proportions for babies under the age of 4.  

And finally, always buy baby paste from a reputed brand for your tot!

Diaper Rash Cream - How To Take Proper Care of Baby Diaper Rashes?

Baby diaper rashes are quite common and there would be hardly any baby in the entire world who has not have had a few rashes. Babies cannot tell when nature calls, which is why they need diapers to keep them sanitary. But the problem with diapers is that they are the perfect breeding area for bacteria and yeast, none of which are good for the baby’s skin and are the most common cause for infections that cause irritation on the skin and brightly coloured rashes or sometimes even puss filled bumps. Fortunately, none of these are very serious that cannot be solved with some motherly care and a little diaper cream.

Here are a few simple things that will not let rashes trouble your baby:

1.       Buy good quality diapers, cheap ones are not good at absorbing fluids. Those that are made from quality stuff have medicinal ingredients in them that keep the skin protected from lesions and skin infections that keep happening quite often with babies.

2.       Every time you change the diaper, dab a soft cotton cloth in a soap solution and clean the area properly and apply some talcum powder in it. You can use a diaper rash cream instead of powder.

3.       Do not tie the diaper too tightly around the baby; allow air to pass through the diaper. This will keep moisture low and keep the area dry.

It is usually very tough to keep the diaper area dry for long because babies keep wetting their diapers quite often. And as we all know, fungi infests wet places with zeal, so before long you will have a baby rash problem to deal with. You must know that all rashes cannot be treated with diaper rash cream and at times, your baby will need medical assistance.

General Irritation

These happen more often than the other two types that are about to follow. General rashes look less intimidating as well. Usually, a slight reddening of the skin folds is all you will see with these. Babies don’t seem to mind these too much, but if left unattended for long, the problem will aggravate. Doctors advise washing the area with a mild solution of antiseptic fluid, followed by application of diaper rash cream.

Irritation Caused by Infection

Yeast and bacterial infections are more troublesome and annoy the baby to no end. These manifest in the shape of satellite lesions and red bumps around the diaper region and beyond. The signs are reddening of the skin and the folds around it. The treatment involves more than just a diaper rash cream. For instance, might have to take your baby to the doctor and get proper medical assistance for the problems.

Baby Dental Care Baby Paste

As soon as you see the signs of your baby growing new teeth, get ready to initiate a good dental health regime. Some suggest that babies do not need dental care during their first year, but observation has shown that a baby needs proper dental care, complete with baby toothbrush and baby paste.

When To Begin Using Baby Paste?

By the time your baby is 4 months old, they will show signs of teeth. You should begin dental care as soon as you see those. Toothbrushes made for babies have super soft bristles and do not cause harm to the baby gums, but if your kid seems uncomfortable with its use, try using a soft cotton cloth dabbed with a tiny amount of baby paste against the teeth. Later in a few more months, introduce a brush, again with very little baby paste on it.

This should be done with regularity twice everyday. If you see the baby becoming uncooperative while brushing its teeth, you will have to change the toothpaste or try a softer toothbrush. Doctors/child nurses recommend toothpastes that have pleasant fruit tastes.

Ingredients in Baby Paste

Do not buy baby  toothpaste that lists fluoride as a content. Babies do not need fluoride or sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) because they  do not eat tar/plague generating food. Parents should take care to avoid products that list a lot of chemicals in the toothpaste. Even some products that sell under the moniker of ‘herbal’  do contain ingredients that are not fit for toddlers under 4 years old.

Speaking of the age, any kid under 4 produce a lot of saliva but they cannot spit it out like older kids. Thus, if you keep using fluoride or SLS laced baby paste, you might be exposing it to untold dangers. By some research conducted on baby paste, SLS is a known cause of oral ulcers in kids!

Also be careful not to buy products if they have any of the following things in it:

1. Saccharin

2. Salicylates

3. Anti Microbial chemicals

Kids of age less than 4 years need no more than a simple solution of baking soda with very fruit extracts for that pleasant taste. More importantly, the manufacturer should be well known and not some dubious brand from overseas. If you think you need more information about baby dental care, check with your child specialist about baby toothbrush and baby paste. 

What is the Best Baby Rash Cream for Your Bundle of Joy?

Your baby has a very soft skin; scientists say it is at least 30% finer than your skin. It is very easy to ruin baby skin. The skin on the bottom of a baby is particularly thin; they do not refer to a baby’s bottom for nothing. It is indeed very sensitive and rashes greatly annoy the baby.

Baby rash creams have come of age since the days when there used to boric and other harmful sulfates as core ingredients. Manufacturers have awaken and responded towards the rising demand for organic, natural baby products, made especially for babies and their soft, vulnerable skins that cannot withstand the assault of harmful chemicals used in making baby products such as diapers and baby creams, In shocking revelations, baby products have been found to be the cause of rashes and other skin diseases. The worst thing is that baby rash cream used by parents to cure rashes has been known to cause more harm than any good.

 Causes of Baby Rash or Diaper Rash

It is a well-known fact that babies have a relatively higher pH level than adults and this is the reason why babies develop rashes very easily. Parents who are not aware of the detrimental effects of clothing the baby improperly, use synthetic clothes which makes all the more susceptible to rashes and itches.

Rashes are basically fungal infection and in general easily curable with the application of off the shelf products, but these products are not entirely safe, with some known to have aggravated the condition significantly. Though baby rashes are not life threatening or greatly annoying, at times this can cause the baby to become extremely irritable.

Gentle Care and Complete Protection

To answer the question we asked at the outset of this article, we think the best baby cream is the one which has the following qualities:

1.     The best baby rash cream does not smell very sweet! Though this might seem counterintuitive (good smell means good things, right), good smelling baby creams are often harmful because these pack a harmful brew of chemicals which are not good for baby skins.

2.     Cryptic abbreviations can be dangerous. Some chemical compounds found in baby creams are carcinogens. Do not buy products that have something like DMDM in the name!

3.     There are no nutrients in baby rash creams, so if you see vitamins in the baby rash cream, you might want find a different brand instead of the one that puts vitamins in the mixture.