Gum Massage

by Donna M. McDine

My first child never had difficulty cutting new teeth.  One day there would be no tooth and then without much fuss a new tooth would start appearing through her gums.  However, my second child was a different story.  Her gums would swell and it seemed like the tooth would never cut through.  Her only relief was to bite down on a teething ring. 

One evening, while I cradled her in my lap I thought that there had to be a way to help her and realized that placing pressure on the gum offered some relief.  I figured I had nothing to loose, I washed my hands and reached into her mouth with my thumb and pressed down on the swollen area.  I pressed for about ten seconds, released for another ten seconds, and continued for about 2-3 minutes.  At first she squirmed, but after a few moments she relaxed.  By doing this for a couple of minutes every few hours it helped ease her pain and to soften the gum for the tooth to break through on its own. 

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