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Phase: Infant · Topic: Baby Products · Type: Evergreen · Reading time: ~7 min

Every year in California alone, roughly 800 children under two are taken to emergency departments for teething-related issues. The majority of those visits are for babies between four and twelve months old — the exact window when most parents are reaching for anything that might help. The problem isn't that parents are careless. It's that the teething product market is genuinely confusing, and several of the most widely sold items carry real safety warnings that don't appear on the packaging.

This guide covers what's safe, what isn't, and why — including a few popular products that aren't as benign as their social media presence suggests.

When Teething Starts and What It Actually Looks Like

The AAP says most babies get their first tooth around six months, though anywhere from three months to twelve months is within normal range. The lower central incisors — the two bottom front teeth — almost always arrive first, followed by the upper front teeth. The full set of twenty primary teeth isn't usually complete until around age three, which means teething is not a phase: it's a recurring experience that lasts most of the first three years.

The real symptoms are fairly limited: increased drooling, a strong urge to chew on things, fussiness, swollen tender gums, and sometimes a very slight temperature elevation. What teething does not cause, despite what many parents (and some older grandparents) insist: high fevers, diarrhea, vomiting, or persistent coughing. If your baby has those symptoms during a teething period, they have a concurrent illness and it warrants a pediatrician call, not more teether rings.

Knowing this matters for product choices. The teething aisle is partly stocked to address symptoms teething doesn't actually cause, which is one reason so many of the products in it are either unnecessary or outright risky.

The Safe Materials: What to Look For

The products with the clearest safety record share a few characteristics: solid construction with no parts that can detach, made from materials that don't leach chemicals, and easy to clean.

Food-grade or medical-grade silicone is the current gold standard. It's BPA-free, phthalate-free, doesn't harbor bacteria the way porous materials do, and holds up well to aggressive chewing. Most silicone teethers are dishwasher-safe on the top rack. Look for "food-grade" or "medical-grade" on the packaging — not just "BPA-free," which is a lower bar. A 2021 study from the Technical University of Denmark found 126 out of 419 chemicals in plastic toys pose potential health risks to children; food-grade silicone avoids most of the relevant concerns. Brands like Mombella, RaZberry (the finger-worn version), and Moonjax (made in the USA) are frequently cited by pediatric dentists for meeting this standard.

Natural rubber is harvested from the Hevea tree and is a solid second choice — soft, compressible, and free from chemical softeners. It's naturally antibacterial and biodegradable. The one real caveat: latex allergy, though true latex allergy in infants is uncommon. If there's any family history of latex sensitivity, silicone is the safer default. Natural rubber teethers also degrade faster than silicone with heavy use, so replace them when they start to show soft spots or discoloration.

Untreated hardwood — beech, maple, or olive — provides firm counter-pressure that softer materials can't match, which some babies strongly prefer once teeth are actually emerging (as opposed to the pre-eruption gum pressure stage). Key word: untreated. Painted, varnished, or dyed wooden teethers are a chemical risk. Look for ASTM F963 certification and explicitly "food-safe" finishes. Wooden teethers need to be wiped clean rather than soaked — water causes warping and cracking.

Chilled (not frozen) teethers: the cold provides genuine gum relief by temporarily numbing the area. Refrigerate a silicone or rubber teether for 30–60 minutes. The AAP specifically advises against freezing teethers — a frozen-solid teether is hard enough to damage delicate infant gums and emerging tooth buds.

The Products to Avoid — And Why Each One Matters

This is where the post earns its keep, because several of the most widely marketed teething solutions have specific, serious warnings from the FDA or AAP that aren't prominently displayed where parents encounter these products.

Amber teething necklaces have been popular for years and remain widely sold despite an explicit FDA safety warning issued in 2018 after the agency received reports of children choking on beads that had broken off — and documented the strangulation death of an 18-month-old during a nap. The AAP does not recommend that infants wear any jewelry, noting that suffocation is the leading cause of death for children under one year old and among the top five causes of death for children between one and four. The supposed mechanism of amber necklaces — that succinic acid released from the beads absorbs through the skin and reduces inflammation — has no clinical evidence behind it. Pediatric dentist Natasha Burgert, MD, FAAP, summarizes the position clearly: "The risk is two-fold — strangulation and choking." Whether or not you believe the necklace works, the risk-to-benefit calculation doesn't support it.

Benzocaine-containing gels and creams (sold under names like Orajel Baby and Anbesol) were for many years a default recommendation. The FDA has issued warnings against using benzocaine products in children under two, citing the risk of methemoglobinemia — a blood disorder that reduces the amount of oxygen carried in the bloodstream. This is not a theoretical risk: the condition can cause serious symptoms including shortness of breath, rapid heart rate, and in severe cases, seizures and death. The FDA's position is unambiguous: benzocaine products should not be used to treat teething pain in infants.

Homeopathic teething tablets containing belladonna — including Hyland's Teething Tablets, which were voluntarily recalled — were flagged by the FDA after laboratory tests found inconsistent and sometimes dangerously high levels of belladonna (also known as deadly nightshade). The FDA's Janet Woodcock, MD, stated directly: "The body's response to belladonna in children under two years of age is unpredictable and puts them at unnecessary risk." Seizures were among the reported adverse events. Even products now sold as "belladonna-free" homeopathic teething tablets have not been evaluated for safety or efficacy by the FDA.

Liquid- or gel-filled teething rings present a straightforward physical risk: if punctured, chewed through, or cracked (which happens with heavy infant chewing), the filling — which is typically refrigerant gel, not sterile water — can leak into the baby's mouth. Older versions also had documented BPA contamination. Solid teethers are a better choice in every way.

Cheap, unbranded silicone teethers from unknown manufacturers are worth treating with caution. In early 2026, the CPSC recalled nearly 6,800 Yetonamr pull-string teething toys sold on Amazon — silicone strings small enough to reach the back of a child's throat, 32 reported choking incidents — underscoring that not all products that look like safe silicone teethers actually are. A study noted that a high percentage of teethers have been mislabeled as BPA-free or non-toxic when tested. Stick to brands that publish third-party safety certifications (ASTM F963, EN71, CPSIA) rather than self-declared claims.

Worth knowing: Sophie the Giraffe, the beloved natural rubber giraffe that has appeared on virtually every baby registry for the past two decades, has one known maintenance issue: the small hole in the base can trap moisture and develop mold inside if the toy is submerged during cleaning. The manufacturer's instructions specify wiping with a damp cloth only, never submerging. Parents who have cut open their Sophie have sometimes found significant mold growth. The toy itself is not unsafe if maintained correctly — but it does require attention that the packaging doesn't emphasize.

What Actually Helps a Teething Baby

Beyond the toys, three non-product approaches are endorsed by the AAP and pediatric dentists with more confidence than anything sold specifically for teething:

A clean finger or knuckle pressed firmly against sore gums — the counter-pressure directly addresses the sensation driving the discomfort. A cold, damp washcloth works by the same mechanism with the added benefit of cold. Both are free.

For babies in real distress where these aren't providing enough relief, a pediatrician-appropriate dose of infant acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (for babies over six months) is safe and effective. It's a more direct route to pain relief than anything external and worth discussing with your pediatrician if teething is significantly disrupting sleep or feeding. The guide to reading your baby's hunger and tired cues is useful here too — a baby whose sleep has been disrupted for three nights running may be showing hunger signs that look like teething fussiness.

Maintaining What You Have

A teether that starts safe can become a risk through neglect or wear. Replace any teether that shows cracks, soft spots, tears at the seam, or signs of mold. Even small cracks in silicone or rubber can harbor bacteria. For natural rubber teethers, inspect weekly under good light — degradation isn't always visible until a piece comes off.

Cleaning routine: food-grade silicone teethers can go in the dishwasher (top rack) or be boiled briefly unless the manufacturer says otherwise. Natural rubber teethers should be washed with mild soap and warm water and air-dried completely — boiling can degrade some rubber formulations, so check the specific product. Fabric or cotton teethers can be machine-washed but require thorough drying to prevent mildew; they also provide less mechanical relief than silicone or rubber.

The Short Version

For most babies, the teething phase is manageable with a few quality solid teethers — one or two good silicone options, possibly a natural rubber alternative, chilled in the fridge rather than frozen. Skip the amber necklaces, the benzocaine products, the homeopathic tablets, and the liquid-filled rings. Check certifications on anything you buy from a less-established brand.

The best single investment is time: gum massage takes thirty seconds and costs nothing, and for many babies it works as well as anything for sale in the baby aisle.

For related reading, the baby skincare products guide covers a similar pattern of products that are aggressively marketed but don't all pass a careful safety review.