Daant Nikalna (Teething): The Dangerous Old Totkay to Stop
Rub a bit of honey on the gums, an aunty says. Buy the numbing gel from the pharmacy, another suggests. Both are wrong, and one of them is dangerous.
Before you start
- Age bands: under 6 months, 6 to 12 months, 1 to 3 years, over 3 years, teething timing and safe relief differ across these.
- Absolute no: honey under 1 year, benzocaine teething gels at any age under 2, amber necklaces around the neck.
- What works: cold, firm pressure, chilled (not frozen) teething rings, a clean cold cloth.
Prefer to listen? This post as a 5 min video
What teething actually does
A tooth pushing through the gum causes local soreness, drooling, and a mild urge to chew. That is genuinely it. Teething does not cause high fever, diarrhoea, vomiting, a bad cough or a rash on the body. Parents who blame every illness in the 6 to 24 month window on teething sometimes miss an infection that needed treatment. If your child has a fever over 38°C along with teething signs, treat the fever as its own problem, not as “just teeth.”
Why honey and gels are actually dangerous, not just old-fashioned
Honey under 1 year of age can carry botulism spores that an infant’s gut cannot yet fight off. This is not a tradition-versus-science preference; it is a real risk of a serious illness. No amount of honey, however small, on the gums, in ghutti, or in food is safe before the first birthday.
Benzocaine teething gels are sold openly in pharmacies and marketed exactly for this age group, which makes them feel officially approved. They are not recommended for children under 2 because benzocaine has been linked to a rare but serious blood condition called methemoglobinemia, where the blood carries oxygen poorly. The gel numbs the mouth for minutes at best and carries a risk that is simply not worth taking for such a small benefit.
What genuinely helps, by age
Under 6 months: teething this early is uncommon but possible. Offer nothing but breast milk or formula; no water, no herbal drops, no ghutti. A clean, cold, damp cloth for the baby to gnaw on for a minute or two is safe.
6 to 12 months: a chilled (refrigerator, not freezer) silicone teething ring is the single most useful tool. Gentle counter-pressure from a clean finger rubbed along the gum for 30 seconds can also help. Paracetamol, if needed, must be dosed by the child’s current weight, off the pack label or from a pharmacist or doctor, never a spoon “for teething” without checking weight first.
1 to 3 years: a chilled washcloth, a teething ring, or a firm chew of cold cucumber under supervision (cut into a shape too big to choke on) works well. Hard raw carrot or apple sticks are not safe as a chew for this age; save those past 5 years.
Over 3 years: teething is largely finished except for molars around ages 6 and 12. The same cold-pressure approach applies for molar discomfort.
- Wash your hands.
- Wet a clean cloth and place it in the fridge (not freezer) for 15 minutes.
- Let the child gnaw on the cool, damp cloth for 2 to 3 minutes at a time.
- Repeat every hour or two as needed, always supervised.
Myth: a string or amber necklace draws out the pain
Amber teething necklaces are still sold with claims that they release a natural painkiller into the skin. There is no real mechanism for this, and the necklace itself is a strangulation and choking hazard for an infant who is left wearing it, including during sleep. Skip it entirely.
Myth: rubbing a paste of clove oil or garlic on the gums is a safer natural option
Clove oil contains eugenol, which can burn a baby’s soft gum tissue in concentrations found in undiluted home mixes, and dosing it safely at home is not realistic. Garlic paste offers no proven relief and can irritate the mouth. Cold and gentle pressure remain the safer choice.
Ghutti, a sweetened herbal mixture given to newborns, is a long-standing tradition in South Asian homes, often given “for teething, wind and settling the baby.” Whatever the recipe, most versions include sugar, honey or unregulated herbs, none of which are appropriate before 6 months, and honey specifically is unsafe before 1 year. The comforting intention behind ghutti is understandable; the ingredients are the problem, not the impulse to soothe a fussy baby.
No honey under 1 year in any form, including ghutti, food or drops. No over-the-counter cough and cold medicines under 6 years. No aspirin under 16 years for any reason, including teething pain, because of the risk of Reye’s syndrome. See a doctor the same day if there is a fever in a baby under 3 months, a fever lasting more than 3 days or above 39°C with the child clearly unwell, drowsiness or floppiness, refusal of all fluids, or a rash that does not fade when you press a glass against it.
Sleep disruption during teething
A baby who normally sleeps well may wake more often for a few nights around a new tooth breaking through. This is genuinely temporary, usually settling within 3 to 5 days once the tooth has broken the surface. Extra comfort during this window, a bit more holding, a slightly earlier bedtime, does not create a bad habit; it is a short-term response to a short-term discomfort, and most sleep routines return to normal on their own once the tooth is through.
What about drooling rash on the chin?
Increased drooling during teething can leave the chin and neck area chapped or mildly rashy from constant moisture. A thin layer of plain, fragrance-free petroleum jelly applied a few times a day forms a simple barrier and is safe for this purpose. Wiping the chin gently with a soft cloth throughout the day, rather than leaving drool to sit and dry repeatedly, reduces irritation more than any lotion choice does.
What to keep in the house instead
A short, safe teething kit costs little and covers most nights: two or three silicone teething rings to rotate through the fridge, a stack of clean small washcloths, plain fragrance-free petroleum jelly for chin care, and an age-appropriate paracetamol syrup kept for genuine pain or fever, dosed by weight from the pack or a pharmacist. That is a complete, safe list. It does not need a gel, a gripe water bottle, or an amulet added to it.
When drooling and chewing are not teething at all
Not every drooling, chewing baby is teething. Some are exploring textures as a normal developmental stage, some are simply hungry, and occasionally excessive drooling with poor swallowing can point to something else worth a doctor’s look, particularly if it comes with feeding difficulty or breathing noise. If there is no visible or palpable tooth bud, gum swelling, or bulge after several weeks of assumed “teething” symptoms, it is reasonable to mention it at the next checkup rather than continuing to assume.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a tiny dot of honey just once for teething?
No. There is no safe amount of honey before 12 months, even a small taste.
Is the numbing gel really that risky for one use?
Health authorities advise against benzocaine gels under 2 specifically because reactions can occur even after a single use in a susceptible child. Cold pressure works without that risk.
At what age do the first teeth usually appear?
Most babies get their first tooth between 6 and 10 months, though anywhere from 4 to 12 months is normal.
Does teething cause diarrhoea?
No. Increased drooling can loosen stool slightly, but true diarrhoea has another cause and deserves its own attention; see our guide on loose motions and the teething myth.
Is it normal for a teething baby to refuse food?
A day or two of reduced appetite is common. If it lasts beyond 3 days or the baby seems unwell, check with a doctor rather than assuming it is teeth.
See our related piece on baby massage mistakes that cause rashes for another common infancy worry, and browse more articles under Bachon Ki Sehat.