How To Get Rid Of Drool Rash

At FirstCry Parenting, our aim is to give you the most elevant, accurate and up to date information.

Every article that we publish, confirms to stringent guidelines & involves several levels of reviews, both from our Editorial team & Experts. We welcome your suggestions in making this platform more useful for all our users. Write in to us at parenting.care@firstcry.com

Teething Rash in Babies - Causes and Home Remedies

What Is a Teething Rash?
Causes of Drool Rash in Infants
Home Remedies for Baby Drool Rash
Prevention of Teething Rash in Babies
When Should You Call the Doctor?

Last Updated on September 26, 2020

Has your child been drooling excessively? Can you spot reddish marks on his chin area 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 as to why babies drool a lot. One of the most common cause is teething. Let's find out what is a teething rash and how you can deal with it.

What Is a Teething Rash?

A teething rash is another name that is given to a drool rash, which happens when a baby is teething. Most babies start teething when they are about six months old, and you can notice how it causes the baby to drool. Along with teething rash on the baby's face, cheeks, and neck, you can also note other signs like sensitive gums, chewing on hard things, and 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's skin reacts to the liquid, and it forms bumpy rashes that can irritate the little one and can also cause an infection. It is always better to take precautionary methods and help your little one through this process.

Home Remedies for Baby Drool Rash

You can keep a small soft absorbent pad under his face while he is sleeping. This will absorb 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.

You can also mix a little aloe vera with petroleum jelly. Apply this to the rashes, and it will help in controlling the itchy feeling.

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

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.

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.

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

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

If your baby has started eating solid food, then you can try giving him some chewy vegetables to gnaw on. Just make sure that they are cut properly and do not make the baby choke.

Prevention of Teething Rash in Babies

The drool rash can get worse when the baby keeps rubbing or itching the rash for some relief. 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. Use a tissue or a soft towel to clean the area before it causes a drool rash on his neck, face, and other areas.

Use Baby Moisturisers: Using a little moisturiser around the area where your baby has been drooling 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, and apply it to the affected area.

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, and help in protecting the baby from any rash.

Prevention of Teething Rash in Babies

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 to clean the area and prevent rashes.

When Should You Call the Doctor?

At times the rashes can get complicated as it spreads, and if the baby tends to rub it a lot, it will only get worse. This is not safe at all. You need to meet your paediatrician, in case the rashes spread a lot. If the rash gets too infected, 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 on its own. One thing you need to avoid during your baby's teething process is teething medications. This is because they have a pain reliever called benzocaine, that can lead to health issues as it reduces the amount of oxygen in the blood.

Teething is a natural process that every baby experiences. It is a positive sign of growth, but there are a few things like drools and infections that come along with it. You don't need to panic as these problems can be controlled. Just be sure to take the essential steps to help your baby through the process using the various available home remedies. However, if things get uncontrollable, and if you see the signs getting worse, instead of getting waiting for the rashes to heal, reach out to your child's paediatrician and discuss the problem with them.

Also Read:

Baby Teething Remedies that Work
Order of Teething in Babies