Teething Rash in Babies – Causes and Home Remedies

Has your child been drooling excessively? Can you spot reddish marks on his/her chin areas and near the mouth? Teething drool rash or dribble rash is something that is commonly seen in babies when they drool a lot. There are a few reasons to why babies drool a lot. One of the most common reason is teething.

What is Teething Rash?

A teething rash is another name that is given to drool rash which happens when a baby is teething. Most babies start teething when they are about 6 months old, and you can notice how it causes the baby to drool. Along with teething rash on face, cheek, and neck, you can also note other signs like sensitive gums, chewing on hard things and also irritability.

Causes of Drool Rash in Infants

Drooling might seem all right, but it is not always okay because drool has digestive enzymes which affect the sensitive skin of the baby. The baby skin is reacting to the liquid, and it forms bumpy rashes that can irritate the little one and can also cause infection. It is always better to take precautionary methods and help your little one through this process.

Home Remedies for Baby Drool Rash

1. You can keep a small soft absorbent pad under his face while he is sleeping. This will pull in the moisture and help to a large extent to avoid rashes. When your baby wakes up, during intervals, you can take the opportunity to clean the drool and replace the sheet if necessary.

2. You can also add a little Aloe Vera to petroleum jelly. It will help in controlling the itchy feeling.

3. Coconut oil also helps in skin care. It has anti-fungal and anti-microbial elements that will fight bacteria in the rash. The oil forms a protective sheet over the rash as well.
   

4. You can wet a soft washcloth and keep it in the refrigerator for an hour. Take it out and ask your baby to chew on the cloth. This can relieve the pain for some time at least.

5. Sometimes baby drooling happens because of a sore throat. You can try using a cool mist humidifier which will keep the surrounding air a little moist. This will help the baby feel relieved from a dry and itchy throat.

6. If your little one is above 6 months, then you can try giving him little cold water or juice that is diluted. You can do this between meal times to make sure that his throat is not too dry.

7. Rub your little one’s gums gently with clean hands; the pressure can relieve him from the pain.

8. If your baby has started with solid food, then you can try some chewy vegetables for gnawing. Just make sure that they are cut properly and does not cause choke.

Prevention of Teething Rash in Babies

The drool rash can get worse when the baby keeps rubbing the rash just to feel a little good. When the baby rubs these rashes with unclean hands, the bacteria that is present in the baby’s hands enter the cracks and makes the condition worse.

• Wipe The Drool Off : Gently wipe the baby drool that forms on the baby’s chin and chest area. Make sure that you don’t rub it too hard. Rather use a tissue or a soft towel to clean the area before it causes drool rash on neck, face and other areas.

• Use Baby Moisturizers : Using a little moisturizer around the drool area or lightly over it helps to avoid the rash from spreading. It also reduces the feeling of irritation that the child is facing. You can use petroleum jelly to do this. You can also add a little Aloe Vera to petroleum jelly. It will help in controlling the itchy feeling.

• Use Baby Bibs : This is the safest and probably the most effective one to avoid rashes in the neck and chest area. The soft protective layer avoids the baby’s dribbles to settle on the skin, eventually protecting the baby from any rash.

• Mild Baby Wash : Sometimes these rashes tend to spread to the rest of the skin. To avoid this, you can choose to use an unscented baby wash as this avoids it from spreading.

When Should You Call the Doctor?

At times the rashes can get complicated as it spreads, and babies tend to rub it a lot. This is not safe at all. You need to meet your paediatrician. At times, the rash can get too infected, and it can even start to smell quite bad.This is again a sign that you have to call the doctor for some baby drool rash treatment. Don’t let your child go through the pain. When the baby is too uncomfortable and is struggling because of these rashes, it is better to do something and get rid of them rather than waiting for it to heal. One thing you need to avoid during the teething process of your infant is teething medications which has pain reliever benzocaine because this can lead to issues as it reduces the amount of oxygen in the blood.

Teething is a natural process that you see in your little one. These are positive signs of growth, but there are a few things like drools and infections that come along. You don’t need to panic as these things can be controlled. Just be sure to take little steps to help your baby through the process. Try and help your little one as much as possible using the various home remedies that are available and this should help the little one. However, when things get uncontrollable and if you see the signs getting worse instead of getting better, then you need to call the paediatrician.