Teething: What's Happening, What Helps  What's best for my
daughter to chew while her teeth are coming in?  Q: I know my
baby needs to chew while her teeth are coming in, but I'm not
sure on what. People have suggested cold washcloths, teething
rings, baby biscuits, frozen bagels, even carrots! What's best?
A: Most dentists are quick to recommend teething rings,
particularly the water-filled kind that can be refrigerated so
they're cooling to the gums. Food-based teethers should be used
sparingly, because they leave a residue that can cause tooth
decay (and, in the case of foods such as chilled carrots or
apple slices, carry an additional risk of choking). "Anytime you
eat or drink anything other than water, you produce acids that
draw minerals out of the teeth," explains Kayron Dube, D.D.S., a
pediatric dentist in Houston. "When you don't eat or drink for
three hours, those minerals get replenished. That can't happen
if a baby is constantly gnawing on teething biscuits or sipping
on a bottle full of anythin