Cloves for teething?

momofflowers · 12-30-2005, 01:24 PM

I am pretty sure my 5 mo dd is teething- she is gumming on everything and is a drool machine, also running a slight fever. I've read that clove oil on the gums helps, what about ground cloves in an oil? I am wondering if they would be too strong and what carrier oil I should use. Anyone tried it before?!?

vermontana · 12-30-2005, 10:05 PM

Cloves are very strong, and often too strong for a baby's sensitive gums. Instead of clove oil, I'd recommend freezing catnip and chamomile tea pops and letting her suck on them, or giving her catnip tea or tincture. If you do use clove oil or another kind of clove preparation, try it on your own gums first, and remember how much more sensitive her gums will be than yours. You just need the tiniest amount.

Avena · 12-31-2005, 11:09 PM

Hey mama,
Personally I think clove oil is WAY too strong for little babes ! I tired herb for kids gum-o-mile, it has clove oil and other herbs..I put just a dab on DD gums and she screamed! I felt soo bad! Her mouth & lips got red! I tested it Holy Mother was it strong!!!

Here are a few things that helped DD:
*Brew up some Chamomile tea, cool and soak a wascloth in the tea, let your little one chomp away! It works wonders!

* Boiron makes a homeopathic for teething called "Camilia" it's liquid and I find it works better then Hylands. I had a hard time finding it at my local co-op but you can find it on line at webvitamins.com and or drugstore.com

*I don't recc. Hylands teething gel as it contains Parabens in it!!!

* Under The Nile makes a organic teething bear, it's great and only like $8!

Best of luck!

Panserbjørne · 12-31-2005, 11:13 PM

Clove oil is fabulous for teething...outside of the mouth. I combine it with castor oil ( a great anti-inflammatory) and rub it along the outer jaw up and around the ears. Works like a charm.

simple living mama · 01-02-2006, 01:40 AM

my child's favorite thing that calmed her was to wrap up fruit (banana, apple, orange etc...) in cheesecloth and tie it up. I would freeze it and give it to her to chew on. The coldness helped numb the pain and the sweet juices tasted good as she chewed on it. The frozen hard fruit would help the wee teeth to come break through the gum.

nonniecita · 01-05-2006, 07:35 AM

I've used gum-o-mile a couple of times, it seemed to help once but haven't used it enough to know for sure. I definately wouldn't use it at night, as her teething is worse then... at nighttime, I use Hyland's teething tabs, not the gel (it has parabens like another poster mentioned).
Good luck!
Michelle