Teething: Those Pearly Whites Could Kill Your Child

Babies who are teething will put anything in their mouths to fight the pain. They'll also chew on everything from their crib rails to your furniture, given the chance. Some of the things babies chew can cause serious injuries, even death. Here's how to prepare for this challenging phase of infant development.

Why Babies Chew
Teething usually begins around the age of three months and continues until age three. During this time, the baby teeth push through the gums. For some babies, this can be a very painful process, though some infants make it through the teething years without a single complaint.

One of the ways babies deal with teething pain is to chew on things. Chewing relieves the pressure on the gums, which reduces the pain. It can also help teeth cut through the gums faster.

Teething Hazards
The urge to chew can strike a teething child at any time. Whatever's closest to your baby's mouth is likely to wind up there, with potentially dangerous consequences. Pay careful attention to things at your baby's mouth level, such as the edges of chairs and tables and the crib rails.

Anything that's small or that can break apart presents a choking hazard. This includes items made from glass, wood and brittle plastic. Even that loose change under the sofa could wind up in your baby's mouth.

How to Minimize Teething Dangers
Offering alternative things to chew and diligently baby-proofing your home are the best ways to eliminate choking and ingestion risks.

• Outfit crib rails with teething guards. Wood crib rails can soften or splinter with repeated chewing, causing cuts to the mouth. Plastic teething guards fit over the tops of the rails, allowing your baby to chew safely.
• Move glass to higher ground. Drinking glasses and plates, particularly old glassware or items made from thin glass, need to be kept far from baby's reach. These items can shatter, causing severe mouth damage or internal damage if bits of glass are swallowed.
• Look under the furniture. Babies can get into places that adults can't. Lift sofas, chairs, beds and bookcases and clean out everything beneath them.
• Put away all magnets. Magnets are a particular ingestion hazard for toddlers. If your child swallows magnets, they can attract each other in the digestive system, causing fatal injuries. Refrigerator magnets and magnetic alphabet letters should be kept away from teething children.
• Inspect teething rings carefully. Make sure rings are made from hardened rubber or plastic that won't shatter. The best teething rings are simple, solid pieces. Avoid liquid-filled rings that can break open and leak, as well as teething rings with ties or straps that could wrap around your baby's neck.
• Beware of soft plastics. Soft plastic or vinyl toys, including teething rings, could contain phthaltates, chemical plastic softeners that have been linked to cancer and underdevelopment of testicles in studies with lab animals. Although the long-term effect of phthalate exposure in humans is unknown, many parents choose to avoid products made with these chemicals.
• Try a cold washcloth. Soak a clean washcloth, wring it out, then pop it in the freezer for half an hour. The combination of cold and chewing provides tremendous relief to teething babies. Don't let it freeze solid, or it could bruise your baby's gums.