Has your little one started teething? While this is a necessary part of your baby growing up, it’s certainly a life change that causes a bit of frustration for both babies and parents. In a recent blog, we discussed how to use coconut oil to help your baby find relief while teething, but in this blog, we’ll discuss another common teething symptom and how to find relief.
What is drool rash?
Though drooling is a regular occurrence for many babies, the frequency and intensity of the drooling may increase as the result of teething. If it does, the constant presence of drool on your baby can result irritation known as drool rash.
Most commonly, this red irritation appears around the mouth, on the cheeks, in the folds of the neck, and even on the chest as the result of excessive saliva causing constantly wet skin. A drool rash will typically present as flat or slightly raised patches, often with small, red bumps. You might also notice a chapped appearance.
As stated above, teething generally causes the drooling that results in drool rash, but using a pacifier also can, as the pacifier keeps the skin around your baby’s mouth wet. Food left smeared around a baby’s face for too long can also result in drool rash.
Drool rash prevention
As is often the case for these sorts of things, the best treatment is generally prevention. You can generally prevent drool rash by having a soft burp cloth on hand at all times to wipe away any drool in a soft dabbing motion. Wipe your baby’s skin frequently to keep it clean and dry and prevent drool rash. You should also put a bib on your baby if he or she drools enough to dampen shirts. Finally, always change bibs and shirts as soon as they become wet with drool.
Drool rash treatment
Even if you employ all of these prevention techniques, your baby may still get drool rash. In those cases, it’s time to switch tactics to drool rash treatment. Below, find a few tips for making your baby more comfortable with drool rash:
- Gently wash the affected areas of the skin twice daily with warm water. Gently pat the skin completely dry with a clean, soft towel. Never rub the skin dry, as this may further irritation.
- Use a mild, unscented baby wash at bath time.
- Reduce potential exposure to irritants. One way to do so is by switching to fragrance-free detergent for your baby’s clothes, bedding, bibs, and burp cloths.
Coconut oil for drool rash
By now, you know that we love coconut oil for babies, particularly for its many uses. This is yet another one! Use coconut oil for drool rash treatment by using it as a healing ointment after you wash the affected area on your baby and after bath time. Just be sure the skin is completely dry before doing so.
Additionally, as mentioned in a previous blog, you can freeze baby food made with coconut oil and give it to your baby as a snack that also helps provide teething relief and potentially help eliminate some of the excess drooling teething causes. Once your baby finishes his or her snack, however, make sure to pat the mouth and surrounding skin dry.
Final thoughts
Consult your pediatrician if drool rash cracks, appears weepy, causes your baby noticeable pain, or does not start to clear up after about a week of at-home treatment.
If you’re interested in using a natural baby oil to help with drool rash or various other causes, try Pure Baby. Pure Baby is Skinny & Co.’s answer to the need for a baby oil that isn’t a crude oil product and has many uses for both babies and moms!