The right teething toys (can improve your child’s development)
Note that we had to tape down the rug because that became a teether too…..
I thought my daughter was teething starting at about 2 months old. Every time something was wrong, I kept texting friends “wait when do they start teething again? I really think she’s teething!”
“Hmmm that would be a bit early, but it’s not unheard of!” was a version of the response I got from several friends. And our pediatrician. But the pediatrician was wrong about other things, so maybe she was wrong about this! Plus my girl had been ahead with some milestones, so why not this one?!
It’s so easy to blame cranky…gassy…tired….drooly….etc….baby on teething.
So by 5 months, I had figured out she wasn’t teething. And then BOOM suddenly she had three really crank-tastic drooly days and suddenly had two little razor sharp dinosaur looking teeth poking out of her gums!
And suddenly after months of thinking about being prepared…I was totally unprepared for how to handle teething. In one weekend I:
bought a Baltic amber necklace that proclaims anti-inflammatory healing powers (verdict:I didn’t feel safe keeping it on for sleep, it was a pain to remember to take off at every nap, pieces can chip off over time, I do not recommend)
Refrigerated many wet washcloths
Gave her slightly thawed frozen banana in a silicone feeders
Rubbed her gums
Opened and closed the box of Camila Teething Drops I had brought on our month long trip to the East Coast about 15 times, wondering if I should try this random remedy when we were so far from our home in San Francisco. Never used it.
Panic bought about 6 teethers in one night
Gave baby a giant refrigerated carrot to chew on
Yummmm!
I remember my husband recently opening a box from Amazon and asking “another teether?”
You guys. I’m an occupational therapist with a passion for clean products. I’ve tried a ton of them. The teethers below are suggested because they:
Are safe, non-toxic, cleaner versions of those gel filled things we had as kids
Can be used many ways (fruit and vegetable shaped teethers will eventually go into my daughter’s pretend play toy collection; I use teethers with a design that lends itself to me sticking a toy strap through and use for a stroller toy)
Are helpful for oral motor development and sensory exposure (I recommend buying a few different kinds, make sure they have parts that poke out so those bits that stick out can reach back into your child’s mouth and also have different textures for sensory experiences)
Are easy to grasp (get started on fine motor skills early!) or loop a toy strap through is important as well! That way you’re not picking teethers off of the sidewalk….
This is an example of a toy strap. No she wasn’t actually sleeping, the hat just fell on her face for one second! I haven’t found a toy strap that’s completely PRIYApproved, so I won’t link one here. But I like to live the 80/20 rule with clean products, so this strap is about $1.50 and definitely not eco…or chic…and most definitely not eco chic ;-)
The following teethers are PRIYApproved! I recommend buying 1-2 from each category to mix up textures and styles - we have them in every room, some are always being (hand) washed/rinsed and dried, and there’s usually one in the car/stroller and diaper bag! Always monitor your child while using a teether, pay attention to if you see any breakdown and use your own good judgement, please! If you have questions, please get in touch!
Silicone
Como Tomo: Not a fan of their bottles, but the teether was a hit with our little one from early on as it was lightweight and easy to hold.
Haba: I like their wood and silicone teethers; a European company; I like this star shaped one for the different textures
Itzy Ritzy: We like the pineapple, avocado, and cactus ring, and the lemon is so easy to hold!
Starfish:This one is fun and also nice to get into all angles of baby’s mouth. I don’t think it’s made of the cleanest ingredients, though. But great for oral motor skill building and sensory exploration! It’s all about balance, right? 80/20!
MoonJax: Super classy looking, very annoying because every scrap of dirt and hair sticks to it, but it looks so sleek, and a clean product!
Teething Tubes: I like to monitor my child with these because until they are older, they sometimes get too far back and kick off that gag reflex….but these are really great especially once kiddos have more motor control and can hold/manipulate them on their own.
Tri-Chew: invented by a well known oral motor focused speech therapist; not recommended for AGGRESSIVE chewing. I use blue as it is the medium level.
Fluxy: Another therapy tool type teether which has three textures; they’re able to get these farther back so babies can practice some nice chewing and sensory exposure.
Double fisting silicone teethers, along with the classic “I’m teething” fish face. This pineapple is great to loop a toy strap through. To be clear, I don’t recommend teethers with holes or ability to fill because they get moldy, but if the design naturally has a space where a strap can loop through, those teethers can serve an extra purpose and hang on a toy strap - DOUBLE WIN!
Rubber
Hevea: A little high maintenance to clean and keep out of direct sunlight, but sometimes the cleanest products are. I like the texture on the panda teether for sensory exposure. I like that all of their teethers double as play toys in a literal way (I.e. a ball teether). Check out the FAQ for more info.
Oli & Carol: I LOVE THESE! Natural rubber and super cute and fun to look at! I had a whole conversation with the owner of the toy store about how great they were, but I didn’t believe her, so I went home to do my own research. Truth. A lot of them are great for giving varied texture for oral sensory exposure, are easy to hold and have parts that poke out to help with oral motor skills. My favorites are:
H2O Origami Crab, Whale and Boat
Okay that’s basically all of them….
Also they double as bath toys
Wood
Grimms: Made in Germany. Maple is good/best for teething toys according to my research. Do your own research, of course! I like these easy to hold/loop a toy strap through ones in animal shapes. Grimms also has a fun colorful teething ring & a fish rattle/teether!
Haba: Made in Germany (there is a US office, but it seems they are still made in Germany with higher standards for their products). Lots of fun wooden shapes, but I like this simple circular rattle/teether which is colorful and easy to grasp. This Haba sunburst shape has some nice parts that poke out which help with oral motor skills, too!
LexyPexy:These are SO cute. I’m a big advocate for baby toys that I like to look at. Because let’s be honest, my baby sticks everything in her mouth whether it’s cute or not! These maple wood teethers are such a great shower gift, too. I’m partial to the healthy ones, especially the coconut water and the green juice! The doughnut and the pretzel look adorable too and are great for hanging on a toy strap to attach to a stroller or car seat (use your judgement with this, I feel safe doing this and am always monitoring my child).
I have yet to find wooden teethers that give me the varied texture I’m looking for, so I do recommend getting a few non wood teethers (see above) for balance.
PRO TIP: Num Num GooTensils are great for purees and initial self feeding tools AND they say they can be used as teethers too! Double use!
Num Num GooTensils - for feeding and teething!
P.S. I only link to products I use/love. If you choose to use the links above, I may receive compensation, which helps keep this website running. Thank you!
