Teething can make babies miserable! What can a parent do about those newly-formed teeth and gums that hurt? Chatting with other parents or searching online could lead to learning more about Amber bracelets for teething, anklets or necklaces. The companies that sell amber items often claim that wearing the amber-based jewelry can ease the baby’s teething discomfort. They highlight the advantages of genuine Baltic amber, which releases succinic acid and claim this results in relief from pain. There’s no evidence that this is the case in the case of jewelry that is designed for infants.
Pediatricians are not recommending using these amber necklaces to ease a baby’s tooth-related issues.
I’ll explain everything in this blog post with the explanation of succinic acid, and the reason the reason why it doesn’t apply to the clothes that babies are allowed to wear. I’ll also explain why amber necklaces for teething are not just ineffective, but also (unfortunately) risky.
Where does amber come from?
Amber is an fossilized tree resin therefore it’s not a valuable gem, stone, or rock. It’s a kind of honey-colored that feels almost like plastic. Many jewelry designers promote natural amber, amber that is raw or authentic Baltic amber as the kind of amber they employ in their jewelry.
Amber can be fashioned into tiny beads. These beads can be strung together to create anklets necklaces, or bracelets. These necklaces made of amber that are sold to parents of babies who are teething.
Amber to make teething anklets, necklaces and bracelets
Why would anyone opt for amber as a baby’s color to wear? (No one wants the baby to put amber directly in their mouths).
Many believe that baltic amber contains therapeutic properties and is an natural pain relieving agent. In particular, people are referring to the succinic acid contained within the beads themselves. Some believe that the baby’s body heat could increase the temperature of the amber beads to the degree that succinic acids are released. They further claim that succinic acid is also taken up through the skin of the baby and into the bloodstream in levels that help ease irritation caused by teething.
This is not an attempt to argue beneficial properties for healing of the substances found in nature, be it amber or not. I’m here to dispel this particular theory. I do not want parents to spend money or put their child at risk (see below) due to inaccurate information. If anyone decides to wear amber teething bands is best to opt for it based on reasons that are compatible with their personal values, and not based on reasons that are based on incorrect “science.”
Succinic acid and Amber
Succinic acid has multiple possible applications, such as a food additive. It’s also a natural ingredient that is found in certain foods. It’s also present in amber. It’s a part of amber itself, and it’s not easily separate from fossilized resin. It’s a part of the fundamental structure.
The people who make the Amber Teething Necklaces (often specifically Baltic Amber Necklaces) affirm that the succinic acid acts as an anti-inflammatory agent.
To answer the myriad of theories and thoughts concerning amber teething beads, Australian researchers examined under what conditions succinic acid could be released from amber beads.
Here’s what the study discovered:
First, the amber beads failed to produce succinic acid. Researchers tried to simulate “human physical conditions” to determine if this could trigger the release. The experiment didn’t work.
When some beads split into shards of glass, a tiny amount of succinic acid was able to be removed. It was just the light-colored beads and it was only just a small amount. (It should be obvious that the majority of us would not allow our child to wear jewelry that has broken into pieces).
In addition, they examined the succinic acid. It was not found to contain anti-inflammatory properties or boost the immune system. (Granted that there’s multiple ways to test these substances however the results are convincing).
In higher concentrations, succinic acid is toxic.
This research revealed that amber does not readily (or effectively) release succinic acid but the succinic acids alone isn’t going to help with pain relief or inflammation.
Concerns about safety for jewelry with teeth
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends children avoid jewelry for all ages. There are strangulation and choking dangers. If you’re wearing the amber necklace for teething the risks of harm are increased because parents tend to leave the necklace on for a long time. The websites that sell them recommend leaving them for a period of time ranging from hours to weeks for a noticeable effect but they also advise to remove them while baby sleeps. I’ve observed that parents don’t even notice them often after their child is starting to wear them. It’s easy to overlook taking them off whenever they are needed.
Tragically there have been instances of accidental strangulation resulting from amber necklaces for teething.
Even though the tiny beads might be knotted in a different way (so that you can avoid all the beads falling off if a piece of the necklace is broken) It’s still possible for the beads to fall off and pose a danger to choke. Be aware of the other tiny parts on necklaces, including the screw clasp, which can be risky too.
This isn’t just due to the fact that it’s not effective of the product that I (and many other doctors of children) recommend against using amber teething jewelry. It’s due to these dangerous dangers.
Take note of the presence of bacteria as well as amber necklaces for teething
For completeness, I should mention studies on the colonization of bacterial. Researchers looked at amber necklaces for teething that infants were wearing in the hospital. All necklaces contained bacteria on the necklaces. Many of them contained potential harmful bacteria. Naturally, there’s bacteria that can be found on the skin or neck of a newborn. The necklace might not be cleaned as frequently and could be a perfect place for bacteria to settle and multiply.
If infants or children do wear jewelry, like amber, I would suggest parents think about:
- All jewelry must be supervised by an adult. Don’t leave your child unsupervised when they wear the piece. This includes car seats in which the eye of a parent could be blocked for a short period of time. This includes sleeping.
- There are some who prefer an amber teething anklet rather than a necklace to minimize the chance of strangulation.
- So, what’s a mother to do when they’re looking for natural relief from teething?
- If your child is suffering with discomfort from teething, contact your dentist (remember you should visit the dentist as soon as teeth appear or before the age of 12 months) or a pediatrician who will give you a specific recommendation. Many parents find that massaging their baby’s gums using a moist washcloth is a wonderful method to relax!
Although there are other alternatives to using natural remedies, it’s appropriate to use numbing dental gels with “benzocaine” as an ingredient active. (I go into more detail about benzocaine in this article about products for treating cough).
Summary:
There’s no scientific proof that amber teething anklets necklaces, bracelets or other jewelry are efficient to ease pain caused by teething. The danger of strangulation and choke is, however, very real. However, there are safe options to ease discomfort in a child.
