How to Choose Right Teether for Your Baby

Is your baby suddenly crying more, drooling more, chewing on everything they can get their hands on? Even refusing to feed and waking up frequently at night?

If yes, don't worry. Every baby will go through this process. It's likely just their tiny teeth trying to break through! The timing of teething varies from baby to baby, but generally, the first tooth begins to appear around 6 months of age. Not all babies teeth according to this schedule; some may erupt early, while others may erupt late. This is normal, so mothers don't need to worry.

The teething period is actually a crucial milestone in baby's development. How can we help baby overcome it smoothly? The right baby teether may be the soothing item you're looking for!

Why do babies need teethers?

Relieve gum pain and discomfort: Erupting teeth push against gum tissue, causing redness, swelling, pain, and even itching. Teething provides gentle pressure and cooling stimulation to effectively soothe this discomfort, like giving your baby a soothing gum massage.

Satisfy the urge to chew: Teething babies instinctively seek out anything they can chew on to "grind" their teeth. This is their natural way of self-soothing. Providing safe teethers can prevent babies from chewing on unsanitary or dangerous objects (such as hard toys, fingers, and even furniture).

Develops oral muscles and coordination: The process of grasping and chewing teethers strengthens a baby's hand-eye coordination and oral muscles, including those of the face, jaw, and tongue, laying the foundation for chewing and speaking later in life.

Provides comfort and a sense of security: When babies cry and fret due to teething discomfort, a familiar teether can serve as a comfort object, providing psychological comfort and a sense of security, helping to stabilize their mood.

Stimulates sensory development: Many teethers come in different textures, shapes, and even include sounds or bright colors, stimulating a baby's sense of touch, vision, and hearing.

What kind of teether does your baby really need?

The teether market is overflowing with products, but safety, soft, and suitability are key! When choosing a teether for your baby, it's important to consider the following:

Safety first - carefully selected silicone material

• 100% food-grade safe: Prefer materials clearly labeled as meeting international safety standards (e.g., FDA certification, EU EN71, German LFGB, etc.). Silicone is free of harmful substances like BPA, phthalates, and heavy metals.
• Soft but durable construction: Single-piece molding or securely connected components prevent small parts from falling out and posing a choking hazard. Silicone is soft but not easily broken.
• Smooth and burr-free: Silicone is soft. The smooth surface and crevices which free of sharp edges or burrs to prevent scratches on your baby's delicate mouth and skin.

Scientific design and thoughtful functionality

• Grip-friendly size and shape: The size should be suitable for baby's small hands, and the shape should be easy for your baby to hold and teeth on precisely where they need to be massaged. Ring-shaped designs or designs with handles are generally preferred.
• Rich and diverse massage textures: Teethers feature a variety of textures, including raised dots, wavy patterns, and granules, to more comprehensively massage different areas of the gums and provide diverse tactile stimulation.
• Refrigerable for enhanced soothing: Silicone teethers can be refrigerated with purified water to make sure it’s still soft (not frozen). The low temperature provides additional soothing relief, especially for babies with severely inflamed gums.
• Easy to clean and sterilize: Silicone material can withstand high-temperature sterilization (steaming or boiling water) or thorough cleaning (no hard-to-reach areas). Hygiene is paramount!

Explore Right Teether by Age

Early teething (approximately 3-6 months): Choose a teether with a simple and compact shape (easy to chew), and a gentle texture.

During the period of heavy teething (approximately 6 months and older): Choose a teether with a more varied texture that can massage the back gums or large teeth. Teething with a handle or three-dimensional shape makes it easier to grip and chew at different angles.

Conclusion

The baby's slight discomfort will worry the whole family. Choosing a safe, functional, and suitable teether will not only help your baby relieve teething pain and help them navigate this challenging period, but also protect their tiny mouths from harm while exploring the world, while also promoting sensory and fine motor development.

At Melikey, we have a large range of teether designs for your options. Choose a "teething soothing product" with full of love for your baby to transform their restlessness of teething into a safe and joyful time of exploration and growth. For wholesale brand, we also support to customize a unique teether inspired by your logo pattern for your brand to bloom your business.

If you need any help in choosing a teether for or need a teether customization service, please feel free to contact us. We will be happy to help.