Always busy with the oral health of the little ones, today we want to bring in this blog answers to a recurring question from friends and patients of our dental clinic who have become parents for the first time; teething toys for babies.
One of the first concerns of mums and dads is the discomfort and pain caused by teething in babies when they start to “teeth out”.
The commonly called milk teeth appear between four and seven months, although there can also be cases of late teething in which they only appear after a year and which, in principle, do not cause any problems or require a particular attention.
The appearance of the first teeth is at the origin of a process of inflammation of the gums which makes the little ones feel the need to alleviate this discomfort by biting everything that is within reach. In fact, it is very common to see children of this age put their hand or fist to their mouth during this phase of the appearance of their first teeth, so before they can put something to swallow or an element in their mouth that you find around you that can be potentially dangerous, using an approved teether that entertains you and relieves pain is the best option.
Better not to experiment
The most recommended are baby gel teether toys because, in addition to not presenting angles or sharp edges, they can be cooled in the refrigerator and the cold acts as a natural pain reliever.
It goes without saying that they must be made of non-toxic materials, that care must be taken that they have no objects that the baby can swallow (those that hang around the neck are the best option) and that to be sure, it is best to always buy them in pharmacies, checking that they are approved according to Community standards.
A few years ago, some vibrating teethers for babies which were advertised to stimulate gums, ostensibly reducing babies’ discomfort during the teething process.
Already in its time, the Committee for the Safety and Prevention of Childhood Injuries of the Spanish Pediatric Association issued a statement in which it assured that “it is teething toys for babies like the usual ones, with the differential characteristic that when biting them they vibrate and with this it is intended to stimulate the circulation of the gums and relieve the pain of the child” to then ensure that “he does not there is no scientific publication, that we know of, that demonstrates the benefits of this kind of teething toys for babies. On the other hand, there is some information, not proven in scientific works, which speaks of the level of vibration they produce could injure the skeleton, in the neck and spine, of the child.
That being the case, it is not surprising that the Committee itself recommended against the use of this type of teething ring since the benefits were not proven and it raised serious doubts as to its possible danger.
This being so, and in the case of our children, before getting carried away by possible fads or simple marketing products, from CIMEV we consider that before acquiring and using this type of novelty that the market offers, we must first consult our doctor or our dentist. In any case, we can always alleviate the discomfort of our babies by rubbing their gums with our finger, gauze or comfortable silicone thimbles that have on one side a delicate toothbrush suitable for their first brushing . Surely they also appreciate our contact and attention.
