Babies generally start teething between 4 to 7 months old. If your child starts later, there should be no concern as each child is different and there can be quite a range when it comes to tooth development. Teething refers to the time when baby’s teeth are breaking through the gums, usually starting with the two front top and two front bottom teeth. Sometimes this can cause discomfort for your baby as the gums may become swollen and even tender. Some babies may even run a low fever and become a bit cranky. They often drool and have a desire to chew on something hard.
There are a lot of products out there to help ease your baby’s discomfort when it comes to teething. One of the recent popular items is a teething necklace. Dr. Elizabeth advises us that this is not a safe choice for parents. She believes that they are not effective or safe. The manufacturers of these teething necklaces make a lot of claims that these necklaces relieve pain, control drooling, and reduce inflammation. However, there is no scientific research that supports any of these claims. In fact, these beads can be dangerous to baby. They can cause choking and strangulation if worn around baby’s neck. A baby should NEVER be left unattended for even a minute with these beads and definitely not put to sleep with them. The beads themselves can be a choking risk if the necklaces were to break. They are also terribly difficult to keep clean as saliva, debris, and dirt can get in between the beads and in the string area of the necklace.
There are many alternatives to using the beads. Dr. Elizabeth suggests plastic and rubber chew toys for baby or cold things. A washcloth with one end tied into a knot can be dampened and frozen as long as it doesn’t become too hard. We discourage frozen solid teething rings for this reason. A gentle massage with clean fingers on your baby’s gums can also help to relieve the pain as the touch nerves transmit messages to the brain faster than the pain nerves (this is why we rub our skin when we hit it against something). You can also ask your pediatrician about giving your baby some infant Tylenol if the pain is particularly irritating.
We hope these ideas are helpful and that you will reconsider the use of teething necklaces for your child. Please let us know if you have any other questions concerning this matter; we are here to help!
About Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontic Specialists of Michigan, the offices of Drs. Delaney, Plunkett, Ralstrom, Makowski, Thanasas, Ker, and Associates
Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontic Specialists of Michigan have specialized in pediatric dentistry and orthodontics since 1968. Our family-friendly office gives patients and families a more comfortable and consistent experience with dentistry from the very beginning. The pediatric dentists treat children from newborn to 18 years of age while our orthodontists provide care for both children and adults, including being an Invisalign preferred provider. The ability to treat all special needs patients reaches beyond our facility, which has treatment rooms available for children who require additional privacy. Valued hospital affiliations allow dental services to be performed at DMC Children’s Hospital and St. John’s Hospital Macomb when needed. Our specialists are also on staff at Henry Ford and Beaumont hospitals.
