Often the process of teething in a baby is accompanied by unpleasant sensations due to pain and swelling of the gums. You can help your child and eliminate uncomfortable symptoms without even using medication. For this, a teether is a great tool - a special device that a baby can nibble and scratch his gums on. They are different in shape, color and differ in the materials of manufacture. Many parents think about how to choose a teether for teeth. Which one is better for the little ones? A lot in this matter depends on the age and individual characteristics of the child.
Why do you need a teether?
Teethers can not affect the speed of appearance of the teeth, but they are able to facilitate this process and make it not so painful. They can slightly distract the child from discomfort and at least briefly interest him. Such devices (high-quality, of course) are made of safe materials that can not harm the baby's health in any way.
Liquid teethers can be chilled in the refrigerator and then given to the baby. The low temperature of the material relieves pain and reduces swelling. Many teethers have massage elements that children can scratch their gums about. The teether also develops fine motor skills in the baby’s hands. With it, children can learn to hold objects and shift them from one palm to another.
How to choose a teether for teeth? Which is best for the rest of the child? This issue should be decided individually in each case, taking into account the age and personal characteristics of the child.
How to understand that the teeth begin to cut?
Teething is a long process, it can last several months. There are some signs that indirectly indicate that the appearance of teeth in a child is most likely just around the corner:
- the production of saliva increases, which the child cannot swallow completely, and it flows out of the oral cavity;
- the baby often touches his ears (this symptom can sometimes also indicate otitis media, so it is important to monitor the general condition of the child and other symptoms);
- the child may refuse to eat previously loved food and behave uneasily during feeding;
- sleep and general behavior of the baby are worsening, it becomes more moody;
- sometimes an increase in body temperature and swelling of the gums.
Fluid stools and a runny nose are also some of the possible symptoms of teething, however, they can also indicate an infectious disease of the child, therefore, in this case (as with high body temperature), a pediatrician consultation is always necessary.
How to choose a teether depending on the age of the child?
Teethers for children of different ages are distinguished by their size, shape and material. This principle should be followed when choosing a teether for teeth. What is the best category to choose this device? There are 3 of them:
- Category 1 - for the lower front teeth.
- Category 2 - for the upper central teeth.
- 3rd category - for distant teeth.
Simple models in the form of silicone or rubberized rings are ideal for the smallest ones, which will be convenient for the baby to hold in her hand. For the upper incisors, the same models and special soothers will fit, as well as products in the form of small toys.
During the appearance of all other teeth, teethers that are designed for older children can be used. They can be made in the form of educational toys that can interest the child. An important detail is the size of the product. It should be large so that the child does not swallow it, and at the same time compact, to reach the farthest corners of the children's mouth.
Dummy teether
There are such types of teethers that are made in the form of a dummy. They are very convenient for very young children, who still find it difficult to hold an object in their hands for a long time. In size, such teethers are slightly larger than ordinary soothers, and the nipple itself is made of corrugated latex or silicone with massage pimples.
The advantages of this product:
- a familiar form for a child, so it’s easier to get used to such a teether;
- hygiene due to the fact that such "soothers" are most often sold with protective caps and, as a rule, they can be boiled;
- it’s convenient to take the product with you for a walk, because you can attach it with a special ribbon to your child’s clothes and not be afraid that the device will fall or be lost.
Such pacifiers due to their shape are convenient at the 1st and 2nd stages of teething of the central teeth. And for older children, it is preferable to use other products that are easier to gnaw with your whole mouth (in addition, they are usually much larger in size).
Teethers: which are better? Photos of some models and description of materials
Now there are many things that make it easier for parents to care for a child. One of them is a teether for teeth. Which is better to choose from them for your child? First, you need to focus on the material from which this product is made. Most often, teethers are made from latex and silicone. The first material is softer and more pleasant to the touch, but the service life of items made from it is small. Silicone is tough, but, however, the life of products made from it is much longer.
There is one detail to consider when choosing a teether for teeth. What is the best material for this product is, in fact, not so important. Most importantly, an indicator such as the absence of bisphenol (BPA) in the composition. This is a toxic substance that poisons the human nervous system and reproductive system. It is dangerous even in small doses, so on the packaging of many certified products you can often see the mark "does not contain BPA". This is one of the guarantees of product quality.
Teether Requirements
When deciding for yourself the question of which is better to choose a teether for teeth, you need to remember that this product must meet these requirements:
- be comfortable in size and appropriate for the age of the child so that he can easily hold the device in his small handles;
- easy to wash and sterilize;
- be made of harmless and non-toxic materials;
- not contain small parts that a child can bite or swallow;
- be light, because if accidentally dropped onto the baby’s head, a heavy object can injure or injure him.
And, of course, the most important condition for the teether is that the child should like him, interest him and evoke positive emotions.
Reviews
Parents often wonder which teething is best. Reviews indicate that everything is individual, and universal advice, unfortunately, cannot be in this matter. But many mothers noticed that children aged 4-5 months are interested in small teethers of soothing colors, while older children prefer these products of large sizes and bright colors.
Parents' reviews confirm that often you need to try several devices in order to understand which is better. Teething may be liked by one child, but not like another at all (even twin moms noticed this).
Most parents say that their children did not immediately understand what to do with the teether. Therefore, at the beginning of use, they put the product in the child’s hand and gave it a nibble instead of a nipple. Usually this helped to teach the baby to the teether and to explain to him how to handle him correctly.
Wooden teething
Wooden products that help relieve teething pain are much less common than silicone and latex counterparts. This type of teether has both advantages and disadvantages. Their advantages include:
- naturalness;
- durability;
- harmlessness (subject to the correct manufacturing technology).
The disadvantage of these teethers is that they dry for a long time and are difficult to sterilize. Inadequate sanding may cause nicks on the product that could scratch the baby’s gums. Quality wooden teethers are coated with safe dyes that are not toxic to babies.
Fingertips brushes
There is a type of teething that the child cannot use on his own. These are silicone or latex brushes with small villi. They put on the finger of mom or dad and they scratch them the teeth of their child. Usually, children love this procedure, it seems funny to them, and parents at this time relieve the pain and discomfort of the baby.
Another plus of such a product is multifunctionality. After the appearance of the first teeth, this brush can be used for the first hygienic cleaning procedures.
Vibrating teethers
There is a modification of silicone and rubber teethers, which, in addition to the massage surface, have a vibrating element. It works at the moment when the child begins to gnaw the product. The teether vibrates and massages the inflamed gums, which slightly reduces pain and discomfort.
Many of these products have water inside, so they can be cooled in the refrigerator and then slightly contribute to the “freezing” of pain. The main thing when using such a device is to timely change the battery and make sure that it does not deteriorate and does not accidentally leak out. This is important because the child is chewing on this product, and toxic substances must not be allowed to enter its surface.
Can teething be replaced with fruits or vegetables?
Many grandmothers often give recommendations to young parents about how they helped children with teething in the old days. Given that special devices did not exist before, they used improvised means. Most often, bagels, apples or carrots were used. But is it safe?
Considering that food products may crumble, they should not be categorically given to eliminate discomfort for those children who already have teeth. But even if the baby just scratches the gums on an apple or carrot, it can also be fraught with danger for him. When sucking fruit or vegetables, juice is secreted. Let it be in small quantities, but sometimes it can cause allergies. This is especially dangerous for babies up to six months, because complementary foods are introduced only at 6 months (before this time it is advisable for the child to receive only breast milk or a mixture and water). It is better to understand and choose which is better teething made of artificial materials and use it.
Teething: which is better, types of products and their features
It is best for the youngest children to use teethers of simple shapes (in the form of a circle, an oval). Sometimes a rattle is also built in to attract the attention of the child. You need to pay attention to the material of such a product for children as a teether. Which one is better? For each child, as practice shows, you need your own option: someone likes silicone or wood, and someone likes latex.
Older children can be offered larger teethers, as well as similar products with fabric elements. They perfectly absorb a large amount of saliva and are pleasant to the touch for the baby's hands.
Caring parents strive to acquire the highest quality teething teeth for their child. Which is better and how to choose the perfect device for the baby? You can try to buy several inexpensive models of different types and look at the reaction of the child, because all the same, this product must be periodically changed for safety and hygiene.