Babies and Teeth Development
There comes a decisive moment in every baby’s early life when they start to develop teeth. And, because of this, you will need the best teething toys out there. This is an important milestone which indicates the baby is not just growing from the nutrition fed to the baby, but it is also naturally evolving into a different stage.
This next stage is very important as it forms the base of the baby’s future growth over the next couple of years. As you might have guessed, it’s the stage where the baby teeth start appearing. Now you might as why is this stage so crucial and important. Well, you see, scientifically and biologically, teeth are an essential biting medium for the baby to progress over to the more complex foods that mandate chewing to break them down before digestion. Unless broken down adequately, they cannot even be swallowed forget digestion.
These foods are very different from the initial early life food used for nursing the baby, which included nursing through breastfeeding and semi-solid foods that are usually in a thick liquid-like consistency.
The Teething Process
How this process starts is interesting in itself. Around the ages of 6-10 months, the baby will start to grow its lower central incisors. Between the ages 8-12 months, the corresponding upper central incisors also start to appear.
But how will parents know if the baby’s teeth have started to grow because the baby cannot communicate anything? Well, the baby and his behavior will start showing some definitive signs that will tell you for sure that the baby is teething.
First of all, the baby will start becoming irritable without any reason. Irritability and crankiness are the first signs. But you will have to watch if the behavior is consistent over a few days to be sure. Also, the baby will start chewing on random items to feel comfort from the unnatural pain. In the process, the baby will start drooling a lot and also display swollen and sore gums. These are all signs that the baby’s growth has advanced to the next stage. Congrats!
The Baby’s Reaction
This is when the baby will need soft items to gnaw and chew on to relieve and soothe the gums’ irritation. You would wonder why the baby will want to aggravate the pain by chewing on something and if it’s the right thing to do? Well, one example I can share is the relief one gets from scratching. Even though it may seem to aggravate the situation, soft scratching feels relaxing and soothing, and we all know that. The same is the case with babies as well.
This is when parents must already have a teething toy selected, ordered, and delivered because the baby won’t be waiting for a week for the order to be delivered. His wails and cries would want you to pick up whatever you can get your hands on in any nearby store. But the best way to deal with this situation is to pre-empt everything and order a teething toy that best fits his likes and requirements. We are here to help you with exactly that.
Please Note
It’s also important that we break another news to you. While teething is a natural process, some babies will tend to fall a bit sick in the process, and run temperature as the body goes through these sudden and outwardly large noticeable changes. We just wanted you to keep this at the back of your mind and be prepared just in case!
If you choose the best teething toys it will not just get you and the baby through the first set of teeth but for the other teeth like molars which come up gradually later on. So one or two toys is the bare minimum recommended for the baby. The baby may grow out of one and would want a change. Just keep that in mind when going for purchase as a lot depends on your baby’s temperament as well.
Read more: Bath Toys
Choosing the Perfect Teething Toy
We have reviewed below a list of some of the best teething toys available for your baby.
Calmes Teether for Babies
A lot of parents are conscious about the materials with which teethers and baby toys are manufactured. If you are one of those, this product is for you. It is made up of 100% natural plant-based rubber. The product is medically certified and is free from BPA or PVC. Also, Paraben and Phthalates free. This all-natural teething product is the perfect one as it’s completely natural, sports multiple grips for the baby to easily hold on to, and also is quite soft and malleable for the baby.
Though easy to hold because of many holding spots, it can give off rubber’s natural smell, which can be a put-off for some babies and can get amplified when wet. The grip and the design make it easy for the baby to chew on them and are completely safe for the baby. No part can come to lose or can be swallowed by the baby. This is our choice for the best natural teether.
Baby Elefun Elephant Teether
Not all products can be used for molars as their design does not allow for the child to reach the molars. This product is different. It uses the unique elephant outline teether to solve the problem of reachability. The trunk of the elephant has been designed in such a way that the baby can easily reach the molars without swallowing them too much. The center part has a large open area which is good for the baby to hold and grip.
Also, it sports five different types of bristles and textures on its surface, making the chewing process interesting for the baby. You can watch how the baby learns to use the teether textures on its own. It is a perfect design that is just right for the baby to reach different parts of the mouth like the tongue, molars, etc.
The product is medically certified to be Phthalate Free, BPA Free, Lead, and Latex-free. This teether can last you all the stages of the baby’s overall teething process. The product materials used are 100% food-grade silicone. It’s easy to wash and sanitize this product and is relatively simple to use. This is our choice for the best teether for molars.
Nûby IcyBite Keys Teether (Set of 2)
This teether is available in a pack of one or a pack of two. Its key design incorporates a soft ring along with multisurface teething keys that is great for the baby. The keys are filled with gel and are meant to be cooled in a fridge before use. Once kept in the fridge, the Nuby’s PurICE technology will give a pleasant cooling and relaxing effect on the baby’s gums.
This product is designed for ages three and above, so you can purchase this toy that the baby can continue to use through the teething stage. This multipurpose product has an easy-grip handle to grip and also a multi-surface texture. It’s easy for the baby to reach the front, middle, and back teeth without any issues. Overall a cooling teether will make life a lot easier for both the baby and the parents in the long run. This is our choice for the best cooling teether.
Teetherpop
Since we have discussed the basics of teethers and reviewed some products, it’s time to review one with some additional features. The Teetherpop product is unique in itself. It can be filled with liquids like water, juice, puree, smoothie, breast milk, water, or anything else. The options are endless. This will create sort of a sweet treat that the baby will not mind sucking on. So the baby will not just have the comfort of chewing teether on sore gums but also the added benefit of a sweet treat while doing so. Isn’t it unique? That’s the reason we reviewed it for you and why we think it’s one of the best teething toys in general.
This product is made from medical-grade silicone material. The teether is Phthalate, Latex, PVC, and BPA free. The soft silicone body will feel great if it is frozen. So you can free the contents in the freezer before handing it out to the baby. The baby will be thrilled due to the soft chill effect, and also the slow thawing of the contents will keep him interested and going for a long time.
The design is almost like a baby candy with four small holes, just that it’s wide enough to reach the molars but not wide enough for the baby to feel uncomfortable and swallow it. This product is recommended for ages six months and above. This is our choice for the best teether treat product.
How to Use a Teething Toy
There’s nothing complex about teething toys and certainly no rocket science either. But it helps if you know some basics beforehand rather than learning them along the way. We have shared a few of the common ones so that you and your baby do not have to go through added discomfort.
- Teether inspection: Teether toys are soft toys that are meant to be used and chewed upon. In the process, it is possible that the toy may get damaged permanently and may need a replacement. So always plan to have two at a time. And the toys will need cleaning every-single-day and is the most basic hygiene that you can follow for your child. Ensure it is clean and safe every time the baby uses it.
- Refrigerate it: Have not experienced joint pains or injuries where a cold pack feels amazing and also heals quickly. It the same case with teething. A cold and chill teether always feels nice on the aggravated swollen region. Ensure that you just chill it and not freeze it. Freezing will make it hard and unusable for the baby.
- Use a bib: The teething period is one when the baby can get drolly, and you would want him to be clean and safe. This was just a bonus tip.
Best Teething Toys Summery
I think we have covered the topic of teething and care in a lot of detail, and you would have certainly found a whole lot of information on one single page. Choosing between these best teething toys is now your choice and it will depend mostly on the developing stage of the teeth. I sincerely hope you find all the information you need to make the right choice of teether for your baby. I am sure you will enjoy pregnancy and infant care. Happy parenthood!
