This week the Food and Drug Administration issued an official public health alert advising parents to bypass over-the-counter teething medications that use the anesthetic viscous lidocaine, or benzoncaine. The FDA has found that the numbing medication has led to cases of seizures, confusion, uncontrollable shaking, disillusion, vomiting and even vision problems. There was even a mention of “possible death” thrown in there. Yikes!
These teething medications go by the names Anbesol, Hurricaine, Orajel, Baby Orajel, and Orabase (and don’t forget all those store-brand knockoffs).
Parents have long looked for more natural ways to ease the teething process, but this is just one more reason to bypass the medicated products for our little ones when it comes to the sometimes painful process of teething. In its alert, the FDA recommended teething rings and cool, clean washcloths as alternatives to teething medications. Here are a few other parent-approved ideas that work:
- Frozen banana.
- Frozen carrots. (NEVER leave baby unattended with this one due to the choking hazard)
- Apple sauce frozen in small chunks in an ice cube tray.
- A parent’s clean finger (this one gets a little dangerous as more teeth pop through!)
- Whole, crisp dill pickles.
- Splinter-free wooden spoon.
- Homeopathic teething tablets that rely on chamomile (read the labels for any presence of an anesthetic).
- Homemade popsicles.
- Teething necklaces.
What non-medicated means have helped your little ones through the teething process?
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Category: Babies
Tags: FDA
