If your baby is drooling, chewing on any object within reach, and fussing a lot more than usual, a budding tooth may be to blame.
"Teething can be uncomfortable for many babies," says Chandani DeZure, M.D., FAAP, a board-certified pediatrician, an associate professor of pediatrics at Stanford Medicine, and a member of the BabyCenter Medical Advisory Board.
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Like any parent, you'd likely do anything to relieve your baby's discomfort. Should you reach for a Baltic amber teething necklace? Pediatricians and health experts say the answer is a resounding no – there are much safer and more effective ways to help your baby when they start teething.
What are amber teething necklaces?
Amber teething necklaces are strings of beads made from amber, wood, marble, or silicone. Some parents place them around their child's neck in an attempt to ease teething discomfort, or to provide sensory stimulation for kids with special needs such as autism or ADHD.
However, experts stress that amber teething necklaces aren't safe for small children. Both the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) say parents shouldn't give teething necklaces to their babies or toddlers.
In fact, the AAP recommends against letting babies wear any jewelry because of the suffocation risk. Suffocation is the number-one cause of death in children under the age of 1, and a top-five cause of death for kids ages 1 to 4 years old.
Do amber teething necklaces work?
No. Even if someone you know or follow on social media swears by Baltic amber teething necklaces, the truth is they haven't actually been shown to work. "Amber teething necklaces aren't effective, nor are they safe," says Dr. DeZure. "They're death traps."
Why are amber teething necklaces so dangerous for babies?
The danger is two-fold, explains Dr. DeZure: The necklaces pose a strangulation risk, and the beads are a choking hazard.
In a 2018 news release warning against the use of amber teething necklaces, the FDA noted that an 18-month-old child died of strangulation after falling asleep while wearing an amber teething necklace. The group also reported that a 7-month-old baby choked and was taken to a hospital when beads from a wooden teething bracelet detached in his mouth.
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Potential dangers associated with teething jewelry include:
- Choking: This could happen if a bead breaks off and your child swallows it.
- Strangulation: If a necklace catches on your child's crib or is wrapped too tightly around their neck, strangulation can occur.
- Injury to the mouth: A piece of the jewelry could pierce your child's gums.
- Infection: Infections can result from any injury or irritation of the gums.
- Release of succinic acid: The makers of amber teething necklaces claim that this substance, found in amber, is released when a baby chews on their products, and that it has anti-inflammatory properties that ease teething pain. The FDA emphasizes that we don't know if or how much succinic acid a baby is exposed to through amber teething necklaces, or even whether the substance is safe or effective.
Safe ways to handle teething pain
Many teething aids you may have heard about actually aren't safe for babies or toddlers. The "avoid" list includes topical teething creams, gels and ointments containing benzocaine and other local anesthetics, and homeopathic teething tablets.
"Numbing gels or creams aren't recommended and can be dangerous for infants," says Dr. DeZure. For example, benzocaine gels, sprays, and other products can lead to a serious condition called methemoglobinemia. (Plus, these products don't work because they wash out of a baby's mouth in minutes, according to the FDA.)
Luckily, several safe alternatives can help soothe your baby's teething symptoms. The AAP recommends:
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- rubbing a clean finger over your baby's gums
- giving your child a firm rubber or plastic teething ring
- offering your child a damp washcloth that's been frozen, with a knot tied on the end for easier gnawing
- asking your pediatrician about when and how often to offer your child acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil, if your child is over 6 months of age)
Sometimes, it may seem like nothing really relieves your baby's teething pain. Hang in there: The teething stage feels endless, but this too shall pass.
