How do amber teething necklaces work?
Quality teething necklaces are reportedly made from Baltic Amber – a naturally occurring mineral. It’s said that when a baby wears it, their body heat triggers the release of a minute amount of oil that contains succinic acid, a naturally-occurring substance in the body. When the oil is absorbed it’s thought to have an anti-inflammatory effect on swollen, sore gums.
There is currently no hard scientific evidence that teething necklaces work, however, many mums around the world swear by them so it’s important that if you would like to give one a try you do it with the following safety notes in mind and that you have reasonable expectations.
Road test
I used a high quality amber teething necklace with my first daughter. As it looked gorgeous on her I put it on her pretty much all the time when she wasn’t having naps or sleeping. We never really had problems with her struggling specifically with teething and didn’t even notice her molars pop through until one day they were all there. Was it the teething necklace? Or the Bonjela? Or was she just ‘good’ at tolerating teething?
Hard to say. At the end of the day I was willing to let her wear the teething beads if there was any chance it would help. Not sure if I’d swear by them per se, but it wasn’t like it was doing any harm so I’d be happy having my second daughter wear them as well.
Safety notes to remember
Baby’s safety is of absolute importance so here are some of the key safety notes to bear in mind if you choose to use an amber teething necklace with your baby.
- Strangulation and choking are the main risks associated with teething necklaces.
- The cords knots between each bead help keep beads in place, however amber teething necklaces are not made to be chewed.
- Parental supervision is recommended at all times whenever the necklace is on.
- Necklace should be removed before the child goes to sleep (naps or overnight sleeping) or if the child is unattended.
- Check the necklace regularly for broken beads or fraying cord; if it starts to deteriorate it should be thrown away.
Image / NZ Real Health