A Guide to Using Essential Oils for Teething Babies and Infants

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Essential Oils for Teething Babies and Infants

The process of teething is a distressing one for both the baby and the parents. The regular tantrums completely throw off the home’s environment and are also worrisome for the parents. Doctors have not come up with a way to completely eliminate the pain as of yet. However, there are some steps that can be taken to alleviate it to a certain degree.  One such tactic is the usage of essential oils.

Essential oils are highly potent. Thus, extra care must be employed when using them, especially when it comes to infants. This article aims to set out a number of thumb tips that would diminish the chances of hazard, as well as suggest the appropriate essential oils for teething babies and infants at different intervals of teething.

Also Read: Baby Born With Teeth Superstition – Myths and Facts You Should Know

How to Safely Use Essential Oils on Teething Babies and Infants

Essential oils are greatly concentrated versions of their regular plants. Hence, precaution is absolutely imperative. Bear in mind the following safety tips that will ensure that their usage on your baby is safe and efficient.

Some safety tips

Consult with an aromatherapist or child specialist

What better way to gain information about something than from someone who specialized in it? An aromatherapist would help you grasp some basics about essential oils, as well as their uses. You can specifically ask them about the safe oils for your infant, and it does not get any more direct.

If you are unable to get in touch with an aromatherapist, a typical child specialist can also help clear your misconceptions.

Do not use essential oil that the specialist advises you against.

Also Read: White Spots On Toddler’s Teeth – What Causes Them & How To Prevent?

Research about the essential oil before usage

Don’t have access to specialists? Try researching yourself. The internet is crammed with articles covering topics concerning babies. These steps will help you research more thoroughly and attain better results:

  • Look up essential oils for teething babies and infants
  • Make sure you search for the ones pertaining to your infant’s age
  • Pick out the top results
  • Make separate searches for each one of them and find out about their dilution levels etc.

In case you have a few bottles of these elixirs on hand, definitely confirm their safety and suitability for a baby.

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Read the instructions; pay attention to possible side-effects

Be absolutely certain about possible allergic reactions, before it’s too late. Do not apply the oil if it can potentially harm your baby. Do not use the essential oils that are abundant in such possible effects especially if your child has a special – skin or otherwise – condition.

However, in the worst-case scenario; if your child is to have an unwanted reaction, see a doctor straight away.

Don’t diffuse the essential oil

It can be potentially perilous for babies to inhale essential oils as it can lead to asthma. Oral application is deemed as the best method because it contains the least risk.

Never swallow the essential oil

Whatever you do, make essential oils never come in contact with your child internally. This can be incredibly detrimental and can result in a myriad of undesired health-related consequences.

Comply with the regulations above to ensure the safety and comfort of your baby.

Also Read: My Newborn Won’t Sleep Unless Held – What Should I Do?

The Best Essential Oils for Babies of Different Ages

Babies usually start teething when they are around 8 months old, up till the age of 2-2 1/2. However, the process varies from infant to infant and can start as early as only 3 months old. As babies develop immensely during the first few years of their life, a baby of a certain age can differ greatly in physical make-up from one of a different age. It is, therefore, vital that essential oils are categorized according to age, too.

Here is a detailed list of suitable essential oils for your teething infant or baby of various ages:

For 3-6 months old infants

Lavender

Lavender, with its exquisite aroma, is a calming agent. It is very gentle, which makes it unlikely to cause irritation. Additionally, it can induce sleep in an exhausted baby, making for a great stress reliever.

Use a diluted solution with .5% lavender oil to carrier oil ratio.

Chamomile

Chamomile is considered a highly effective sedative. Furthermore, its nontoxic nature renders it appropriate for very young babies i.e. the one below 6 months of age.

Chamomile oil is to be used diluted, with a ratio of less than .5% of essential oils to carrier oil.

Also Read: What to Give One-Year-Old for Cough? Home-Remedies or Medicines?

For babies older than 6 months

Marjoram

Known for its pain-relieving properties, marjoram can majorly reduce your teething baby’s muscle and joint pain.

Use a diluted version with at most .5% marjoram oil to carrier oil ratio.

Ginger

Ginger oil can help treat muscular aches and fatigue. Therefore, it is apt in lessening teething pains, although it should be used with care as it sometimes causes irritation.

Use after diluting in a carrier oil with up to .25% ratio of essential oil.

Also Read: Benadryl For Infants – Is It Safe To Use? How To Use It In Babies?

For babies above 2 years old

Clove buds

Clove buds are effective in alleviating muscular pain. Moreover, they have antiseptic and analgesic properties.

Their high potency makes clove buds a slightly more risky option when it comes to babies. Clove bud oil therefore should be used carefully and in the right amount.

It should be diluted at a ratio of lesser than .25% in order to be used.

Also Read: Best Nutrition For Children – What Do Experts Agree On?

Different application methods

Essential oils can be applied to babies in one of the following two methods:

  • Externally using a cotton pad; soak the cotton into the oil or drop the oil onto the cotton pad, and wipe the baby’s jawline, neck, and backside of ears.
  • Internally using a cotton pad/cloth; soak the cloth into the oil and apply it onto the baby’s gums.

Before using either of those methods, do a patch test. Apply the oil onto the baby’s arm or leg and wait for any allergic reactions. Only proceed if the result is positive.

The comfort of their baby is a top priority for new and experienced parents alike. One must go through these often painful stages of development with their child, but the minimization of the pain can always be possible. The existence of strategies such as usage of essential oils for teething babies and infants is thereby a blessing.

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