A.D.
I have been on BOTH sides of this.... my son (now 7) was the one that GOT bit at daycare when he was younger and now my second son (age 2) has started biting. I've just been told NOT to make a big deal out of it but to tell him what he can bite -- b/c if he's doing it for attention... giving him lots of it (even negative) will feed that.
I taught my son to stick up for himself... (the older one)... he kinda took matters into his own hand. When he was little he actually bit me once ... and I bit him back.. .he never bit me again. My little one, however, is'nt of that mentality.. that'd never work on him -- he'd just bite me back harder...LOL...
The only mantra you really can use for any comfort is knowing "this too shall pass"