Boiron Camilia Drops
Hyland Teething Tablets
Hyland Teething Gel
Baby Motrin
Baby Tylenol
Vibrating Teething Toy
Raz-a-Dazzle Silicone Toothbrush
Finger Toothbrush
The other tricks people suggested, such as a frozen bagel, we did not try because I was afraid of the baby chewing a chunk of bread and choking on the pieces. I did freeze a wet washcloth, but the baby took one lick and rejected it outright.
The Vibrating Teething Toy is awesome and flat out works. Although to say something "works" with an infant is really saying "it works for five to ten minutes, and then he throws it across the room." Be warned, though. The toy does not come with replaceable batteries. Therefore, when it's done, it's done...although you can still use it as a toy. It's squishy and fun to chew on for baby.
The Raz-a-Dazzle baby toothbrush works well for baby because he can hold it on his own and chew on it without choking. It has a barrier that prevents him from stabbing himself in the back of the neck.
The Finger Toothbrush is simple, cheap, and works well. Also, you don't get a finger full of drool after massaging his gums.
The Boiron Camilia Drops combined with a squirt of Tylenol or Motrin seems to work, however. He went from sleeping in spurts of an hour to 90 minutes to sleeping in chunks of 3-4 hours.
We are careful to alternate Tylenol and Motrin, however, so he doesn't overdose on one or the other. Also, we don't give him medicine throughout the day. One squirt at night is our general routine, and only if it seems like he is in serious discomfort. Also, Motrin is only supposed to be given to babies six months and older. Tylenol can be given earlier. However, our baby is well within a healthy weight and size range to take Motrin at 5 1/2 months of age.
The Hyland products give me pause, only because they use Belladonna in their teething tablets. I found the following on a general website:
"Hyland's reports that there are no side effects associated with the use of their teething tablets, nor is there a risk of overdosing or encountering a drug interaction if taken in conjunction with another pain medication.
However, one of the ingredients found in Hyland's teething tablets, Belladonna alkaloids, is known to cause dry mouth, blurred vision and urinary retention when taken in larger quantities. Hyland's states that one teething tablet contains approximately 0.0002 mg of Belladonna alkaloids, and it would take at least 0.2 to 5 mg of Belladonna alkaloids to cause side effects.
Belladonna alkaloids produce a variety of effects in the body, including reduced muscle spasms in the urinary and digestive tracts, and a reduction in fluid secretions from certain organs and glands. Belladonna alkaloids are often used in conjunction with phenobarbital to treat irritable bowel syndrome and ulcers in the intestine.
Belladonna has the potential to be dangerous, but only if taken in large quantities and if you are taking another medication that Belladonna might interact with. Cold, allergy and pain medications are medications that Belladonna could interact with, causing increased sleepiness. When taken with alcohol, Belladonna can cause drowsiness and dizziness. Because Belladonna reduces fluid secretions, perspiration may decrease, which increases the risk of heat stroke."
I'm not usually an alarmist, so I will probably try the tablets, if pushed to inhuman limits of sleep deprivation.
But if there's a better product out there, I will surely find it. I am, after all, the Google queen. But the best teething toy so far by a landslide? It's cheap, easy, and readily available. And yes, I'm talking about my finger.
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