Teething and Tylenol....

I am a pharmacist mom and it is fine to give Tylenol while teething as long as you are dosing it correctly. I use the hyland teething tablets but sparingly as they have more "drugs" in them than Tylenol.

My son's doctor said it was just fine to give him the meds at night to help him sleep while teething, that it is way better then just letting him suffer and end up sleep deprived which will just make him fussy and the pain even less tolerable.

Good luck

There are some great teething tablets available from either a Super Supplements type store or at drug stores. Most people don't even know they're homeopathic, but they are, and in my experience they work well for little ones.

I have 2 kiddos and currently my little girl is teething. I will tell you what my friends and doctors told me...they told me that if your little one is in pain, it will not hurt to rotate tylenol and motrin every 4 hours. Also, we used the teeting tablets that are herbal because it helps to keep the swelling down. I've also found out that icey pops-the colorful ones really work on my girl and it keeps the swelling down too. I realize that you probably need it more at night, but if you don't give him something, then you won't get the rest you need and neither will he. At times, it's worse to under medicate than over-medicate and as long as you keep in touch with your doctor and give the recommended dose, then you will be okay. If the tylenol wears off too fast, then use the motrin and teething tablets. We found all of these at Wal-Mart. I'm sure you could find them at your local BX too.

We are former active duty AF and are now National Guard in Portland. If you need anything else, just let me know.

Kim B.

Have you ever heard of hazelwood necklaces? That’s what we use. They are an old native american remedy to help with teething pain. The hazelwood apparently has the property of absorbing the body's excess acid. We just discovered them and they have been a miracle for healing our 7 month's old eczema(they help with a variety of ailments from teething, to eczema, to acid reflux; all associated with excess acid production) and helping with our just turned 2 year old's teething (he's gotten like 10 teeth in the last 3 months including 4 molars..he was a late teether) The necklaces are designed to be safe for babies to wear in case that's a concern. I know it sounds weird, but it might be worth a try...they work great for us. The website where you can get them is www.hazelaid.com
I hope your little one feels better soon. Teething sucks!

Hurray for Tylenol!!

I don't like taking medicine. I avoid it whenever prudent. BUT.

The body doesn't heal quickly when it's in pain. (Ask any post op nurse.) Babies are CUTTING teeth...obviously it's not like losing one to be replaced by another. Ever had surgery on your gums? OUCH!

I prefer Tylenol because I know exactly what's in it, and the dosage is so easily calculated by weight. (Ask your Ped. for the correct dose per weight if you don't know it already.) It's also veeerrry hard to "OD" on. It's not an actual pain killer, but a pain reliever...so you're not looking at addiction, withdrawal, etc. When we adults have mouth pain we're usually given an ACTUAL painkiller such as codeine, or oxycodone that is then mixed with Tylenol. Much easier to OD on...and what I would freely call "drugged up".

It's also a little ironic that as much time as we stress about getting our little one's to sleep restfully, that then we turn around with safe, gentle, & medically appropriate solution in hand and second guess ourselves. I say this because, Yep, "Been There, Done That." And undoubtedly, will do so again. :) We do it, of course, because we care so much.

Be gentle with yourself & those you love,
Z.

When my son was teething, I gave him Hylands Teething Tablets. They are all natural and helped so much with all his teething symptoms. I wouldn't personally give him Tylenol every night. I would see what other options you have. :D

get some teething tablets they are natural and you don't run the risk of damaging your baby's stomach and heart from soo much tylonel and the tablets are natural and you can give them as much as needed.. they are a natural source sooo even though it may say on the package give like 5 or soo every hour or soo you can give them a bit more and it won't hurt. them i used them with my two children and will use then on my new one when he starts to teeth.. you can find them at walmart, target and i think you can find them in the commissary at McChord.. but i know for sure at walmart, target and Haggens and Fred Meyers... at Haggen's and Fred Meyers you will find them in the health food section...

I have 2 sons ages 12 and 6. I also gave them tylenol at night while they were teething. My older son was always a good sleeper, but would wake up in the middle of the night with teething troubles. Oragel does wear off quickly, but it also numbs their tongue, which freaks them out. I also gave my son infants Advil-it last's for 8 hours. It's not forever, just to get them through this tough time in thier life.
My 6 year old would scream, like someone had dropped him or something. This would happen starting at 10:00pm until past midnight. After night 4 of trying everything on the market, my husband wanted me to take him to the E.R.-I said "why? So I can tell them to put in a Morphine drip into him for teething?" I called my pediatrician and she told me I could give him 1 dose of tylenol and 1 dose of advil. 1 was for the pain and the other for swelling. She told me she didn't like to tell people this alot, but to do this in moderation. It did the trick. I only gave this to him when the screaming starting.
No, we don't want to drug our children all the time, but there is also no need for them to be in pain either. If you have a headache, your teeth hurt from dental work, or if you sprained your ankle-you take something for the pain. Why should our children be any different?

Good luck with the teething! It doesn't last forever.

Sleep is so valuable and important and unfortunately just not easy to get with little ones, especially when they are teething. We began using Tylenol with our first and then a freind seggested Teething tablets. They are a Homeopathic treatment that helps relieve baby's pain and doesn't have any negative side effects. They can e found at your local Sprouts, Whole Foods, or other health food market.
It should be administered right before bed for the best chunk of sleep. Use it during te day as directed. Our girls have both used them now and we have had great success. You are right to worry about using Tylenol frequently.

Hope this helps and baby's teeth come in soon!

R., I lived for a blue bottle called Gripe Watter. They have been using it in Euorpe for years and we finally caught on a little while age. I know Fred Meyers carries it in their naturals department. Look for a dark blue box, it runs around $13.00 and worth every penny. The stuff works for everything from colic to teething. I used it from the time my daughter was about 2 mo to 21/2 yrs. We went throught colic and reallly bad teething. So bad that I thought I would get kicked out of a hotel some nights (this was until a girls softball team moved in).The only other thing I tried was to put clove oil on her toes ( I know an old wives tale) but when You are desperate you will try anything. I do swear by the Gripe water it works wonders and is all natural and has stuff in is like pepermint and stuff. I don't think I would have made it through the first 6 months without it. I never tried the teething tablets but I did try the liquid which I think I found at Albertsons. My friends said the tablest got all chalsy when they carried them arround. Good luck, C. B.

it is so hard when our little ones are sick or hurting. Everyone is always worried about o.d.ing on tylenol. as long as you follow the directions adn give the right amount or less you should be fine. I always check the dossage with my DR since it is really important to give it by wieght rather than age for babies. Even as an adult I try to take the lesser amount that is effective. It says to take 2 pills, I'll take one and weight about 40 minutes, if it is not better I take the 2nd pill. You are only giving it at night and not during the day, which is fine. I think it would ba a concern if you were giving it to him every 4 hours for 10 days, that would be an issue. The first teeth coming in are always the hardest. You could try the teething tablets in the natural area of your store. They work pretty good. If you are still concerned that you have been giving the tylenol to much, call your DR and discuss it with them.

I found that Ibuprofen worked much better than Tylenol for my son when he was teething. I've heard that pain is worse at night because of lack of stimulation too. I think it's important for him (and you) to get some sleep. Good luck!

Tylenol is not good for babies, actually is not good even for adults, keep the Tylenol for high fevers as it works faster than ibuprofen (Advil, Aleve and etc.), read the labels. Use the one that has ibuprofen in it. There are quite few homeopathic teething pills over the counter, try them to see which one will work for your baby. Avoid any medications that has menthol in it. But Tylenol is not OK, at least not every night.

Hi R.,
This is always difficult to see (and hear) your little one in pain. You are not doing anything wrong by giving him Tylenol every night. This phase won't last forever. One thing to do is alternate every other night between Tylenol and Ibuprofen. I had the same question for my pediatrician and he told me that alternating helps so that the medicine won't lose it's effect. Also what REALLY helped me was Hylands Teething Tablets. They are all natural and safe to give your baby several times a day. You can find them at Freddy's or New Season 's in the vitamin ailse. I too felt horrible and it seemed like I was "doping up" my baby, But after reasurance from my ped. and other moms I realized that pretty much every mom goes through a period where it's the only option! I hope this helps, Good luck!
Ash

My lil one is teething also, what works for him is baby Motrin, my mother suggested that and told me she used it on me, and i love it for him, i also used it for his sister when she was a baby.

Hi R. -
I totally understand your hesitation, I think most of us new moms go through that. But I would definitely say give him the Tylenol if it is helping. My daughter got 8 teeth in 2 weeks and was in so much pain. Our doctor even said we could give her Tylenol & Motrin by staggering them/overlapping them. Motrin can be even more of a relief to them, because it is also an anti-inflammatory. Good luck!

Orajel didn't work at all on my last daughter. So I tried the teething tablets, they are all natural and they worked great. Within seconds and they let her sleep. She was so restless and I was tired of giving her pain medicine. But she was waking up ever hour just screaming and it stopped once I gave her the tablets. I could only find them at Walmart.

I hope that helps

Hi R.,

You are doing just fine! As you saw from many moms, Tylenol is safe as long as you are dosing it correctly. I too was worried about my daughter and I took her to both a regular pediatrician for advice as well as a Naturopathic Doctor. I expected one to tell me to use Tylenol and one to tell me to use some natural remedy or Hylands. They both said Orajel and Tylenol would work better than Hylands. The problem with Hylands is the fact that it is a mixed homeopathic remedy. When giving you child medicine whether it is natural or manufactured, it is wise to only give them one thing at a time to see what they have reactions too. The ND said she saw too strong a correlation with mixed homeopathic remedies used on a small child and breathing issues such as Asthma.

Tylenol may not work for you though, so you can try children's ibuprofen. Or a more natural route would be a diluted clove oil to numb the pain. Nighttime Orajel is much stronger and lasts longer than regular Orajel too! If you are still nursing, sometimes they need some comfort and it helps to nurse them through the pain until they fall asleep again.

Last, if none of this is working, I do have a special blend of natural topical oils put together by an aromatherapist. It works really well! Let me know if you would like some and I will send it to you.

A.
www.punkinbutt.com

R.,

I am with ya on the tylenol. My daughter got tons of teeth right away as well and I found there are these natural teething tablets you can get that dissolve in their mouth. It worked for my daughter. We only had to use them on a few days, but she seems so unhappy. OK so I foget where we go them, but I think you could go to Rite Aid, Baby's R Us or something. It wasn't over the counter or somewhere special. Anyway, it will pass...if that helps.

Congrats on your little one!
G.

I gave my kids it when ever they needed it. Your child will not become a "drugged up child". He is in pain and need the meds to be able to get his sleep.

I would not give him Tylenol at all- this is not good for him.

Everyone I know that I have recommended Hyland's teething tabs to has sworn by them and recommends them to others. It is an all natural homeopathic remedy and it works!

I agree, try the Hyland Teething tablets. They have been great for when both my kids struggled with teething (and they would average 3 at a time). I took the bottle to my Dr the first time around, she read the label and had no issue with it. There is a touch of caffeine in them but that's the only flagged item that won't really make a huge impace. It's very small amount.

R., congratulations on the little one! I, too, am a military wife with kiddos so I know how not really scary but different it is to be thousands of miles away from "mom!" As a nurse, tylenol is fine to be given each night. Just please make sure you are dosing according to his weight, never his age. You may also try a wonderful homeopathic med that I used for my first two called teething tablets. They are very mild but help the kids to feel better and back to normal. Even during the day. They are safe for babies, too, and all you have to do is ask the pharmacist at any pharmacy for them, even WalMart. Hope this helps you both!

I used Hyland's Teething Tablets. I also used those teething rings you put in the freezer and some other teething toys made for that. I tried clove oil, but I don't remember that helping.

R.,

Tylenol when my daughter (16 months) is teething is the only way to get her to sleep. There is an Oragel Nighttime formula that we use that also seems to help. I can personally attest that it works well. I had some trace amounts on a finger after rubbing it all over her gums and without thinking about it, licked my finger. Yeah, *MY* whole mouth went numb.

I don't think giving Tylenol as needed, per dosing instructions is drugging your baby. I've done the same thing with my two kids. Everybody needs sleep.

Hope this helps,
Melissa

I used Tylenol as needed when teething b/c a good nites sleep is important. Also, sometimes if I have a qestion about medication I call the doctors office and instead of having to take the baby in for a check up.. the nurse will call me back that day with answers. The nurses are so helpful when in question call them anytime that is what they are there for. I have an almost 3 year old girl and 5 year old girl.
Best of luck,
Lenc

I freaked out with the medication thing with my first. He started getting teeth at 4 months and added several every month and was completely finished by around a year (except the 2-year molars). I held off for a really long time on the medication. But the bottom line was that he was way more comfortable and we were way more tolerant when he wasn't in pain. After awhile, if he was really actively teething, we started alternating Tylenol and Motrin almost around the clock until the teeth popped through. With him, that meant about 2 or 3 days a month. His doctor suggested it. If you don't like this idea, my advice would be to go with Motrin, not Tylenol. It works way better. We actually nixed the Tylenol after awhile because there was just no point. NOTHING adverse happened to him when we had him on these meds. We used teething tablets at other times. He never really took to teething toys. Hope this helps.

You might want to try Hyland teething tabs. They are a homeopathic teething remedy that many of my friends absolutely swear by, and they are widely available at places like Walmart and Target. (Occasionally, a child will be allergic to the stuff - mine was, and I knew immediately, because she threw it up within 2 minutes of exposure.)

I hesitate to give my children tylenol or any drug whenever possible. We have used the hyland's homeopathic teething tablets for both of our daughters and they've worked great! They also make a gel.

I have always only given them one or a half tablet instead of what the package recommends. Some people are scared to use them but I know a kid who ate a whole bottle of them and he was fine!

Hi R.,

Mother of four here...and yes, it is perfectly fine and healthy to give your son both ibuprofen (motrin) and acetaminophen (tylenol) at bedtime for teething. Neither will hurt him, and even a combination of both won't hurt him. He needs to be comfortable, have a break from the pain and good sleep...and you need to be able to get good sleep as well so you can be a good and patient mommy while he's going through this. So...no worries. You're making the right decision.

Take care,
D. P.

I've asked the nurse at our Dr. office and she said it's ok to give Tylenol during the night or Ibuprofen. Tylenol only lasts 4-6 hours (so you may end up giving it again to your baby halfway thorugh the night. Ibuprofen lasts around 8 hours. I have used both. Right now my 17 month old is getting in several teeth at the same time. I give her Tylenol every night before bed and sometimes a 2nd does around 2 or 3am. I'm out of Ibuprofen right now otherwise I'd give her that. The nurse said to give your baby a little snack before the Ibuprofen. I think it's hard on the tummy.

I gave Tylenol to my older child all the time when he was an infant and there weren't any side affects that I know of. He's a healthy almost 4 year old now. Hope this helps!

I had the same concern and my pediatrician said it was okay as long as I didn't give him more than indicated on the box, i.e. dose and frequency. He also recommended infant's Motrin/Advil, which I think works longer than the Tylenol. When I've noticed my 5 mo son is having a bad teething day I will give him some Advil before his final feeding, which seems to kick in by bed time, and it seems to help him through the night. Also, I'm not sold on the Hyland's tablets or gel. Tylenol and Advil/Tylenol have been around a long time and tested. Natural doesn't mean safe for babies. He likes a wet/frozen washcloth best during the day, hates the cold toys. Hope this helps.

You are absolutely right to not want to drug up your baby! Even though doctors say Tylenol isn't harmful, it is a fact that ALL drugs are harmful (read the package insert) - it's just a matter of how much (and many drugs are not even fully tested). I think drugs should be used only when necessary, as a last resort, when the benefit clearly outweighs the harm. Our culture is so drug oriented, and we wonder why people take illegal drugs when they have painful feelings they don't know how to deal with. Teething discomfort really isn't that bad, and it doesn't sound like your baby is waking up screaming or anything, just that he is waking up several times at night, which is perfectly normal for a baby his age. Your child can be helped much more by you being with him when he hurts and helping him begin to learn how to deal with discomfort, without teaching him to run to drugs or avoid feeling pain in other ways. He just needs your comfort when he wakes up, to help him go back to sleep, nursing him or bottlefeeding him if he is hungry. And if his teeth are really bothering him and he needs something cool to chew on, you could certainly offer him that at night too.

I know that some people don't like medications for their own reasons. But well it is true your body doesn't like to be in pain. And well let's face it you would not like to be in pain and would want to do something for yourself if you hurt. So it isn't bad and it isn't over medicating to help your little one relieve pain and get some comfort. If you give them the correct amount then you can give them tylenol or motrin or even both. They are two different medications and both relieve pain differently. You can talk to your doctor or the pharmacy about this. But motrin relieves swelling in the body and tylenol doesn't.

I don't like oral gel ever since when I was learning about teething with my first. You can over do it with that product and it numbs the gums, mouth, and throat. It isn't a product after learing about it that I don't even use on myself. This is a big thing for me. If I would not use it or take it then I would never give it to my kids. I try everything that they take (food, meds, everything).

So my son that is loosing teeth now takes tylenol from time to time because his gums get upset from the old teeth coming out and the new teeth cutting in. And my 2 1/2 month old is cutting 4 teeth now. So she is in pain and has that painful cry and well it breaks my heart to have her in pain so I do what any loving mom wants to do and that is to comfort your baby. It isn't hurting your babies to help them through pain and a tough time in life. You aren't doing this forever and they will be happier little ones too.

Good luck!

It is completely safe. I just asked my daughters Dr the same thing he said it was fine. They do have night time orajel and than works alot longer than the regular. Also teething tablets are GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
and you can NEVER give them too much they are all natural.
also they have this stuff called gripe water and it also works wonders................

I have heard that too much tylenol can be hurtful to your liver. You are validated in being concerned. Have you asked your pediatrician?

Have you talked to your pediatrician about giving your 7 month old tylenol, and for how long it would be safe to give him tylenol. I have a drug guide reference book that states that with adults you should not give tylenol longer than 10 days and for children no longer than 5 days. Your healthcare provider should also let you know how to calculate the safe dosage for your child (dependent on childs weight) and demonstrate how to measure liquid preparations. This is very important because tylenol can cause liver damage if used inappropriately.

You can use Tylenol, but what works best is alternating with Ibuprofen (Motrin) if baby is having pain all night. I usually give Ibuprofen at bedtime and then you get 6-8 hours before you need to remedicate as compared to 4 hours with Tylenol. Then I give Tylenol only if needed. This works great for fevers too, as then babies don't get too much of the same medication (I was an ER nurse for years and this is what all the doctors recommended for reducing fevers safely) Good luck.

Have you tried Ibuprofen (Motrin or Advil)? It lasts a bit longer and takes down the swelling that often comes with teething as well as easing the pain. A few pharmacists have told me there's nothing wrong with taking Tylenol or Ibuprofen on a long-term basis for babies, but I'd ask your doctor just to be sure... You can also alternate Tylenol and ibuprofen (one every three to four hours), thus providing your baby with prolonged comfort. Again, as your doctor, as I've been told both three and four hours but some people say fewer or more hours between.

R.,

We gave our children teething gel by HYLANDS. It is a natural product that helps. Also, HYLANDS has teething tablets that are easy and effective, too.

When the teething got too hard for them and us, we talked to our pharmacist...who told us to use a little whiskey on our finger to rub the gums...WORKS. We only did this as a last resort, and there have been no after affects since we only used a wet finger to rub the gums.

good luck,
T.

My experience, like other moms have already posted, is that tylenol does not work very well for teething pain. My 10m old daughter now has her front 4 teeth and when she was actively teething (swollen red gums, white mark showing tooth was getting close) I would give her a dose of infant ibuprofin every night before her bottle. My Ped said it was fine to use ibuprofin once a day at night for an extended period since I was not using it all day long, only one dose at bedtime. My daughter, luckily, doesn't seem bothered by teething pain accept at bedtime. Once asleep, she stays asleep so I have not had to give her a second dose.

Hi R.,

The orajel never worked for my son. Try Hyland's (sp) teething tables. They worked a lot better. They are little tables that disolve in their mouth. You can find them at the grocery store and drug store for about $6 a bottle.

Good luck!