If your little one is teething, you may have thought of using teething tablets for babies at some point or the other. The teething process begins when the baby is six months old, and sometimes it may start as early as three months. By the age of two or two-and-a-half years, a toddler has a set of ten primary or milk teeth on each jaw, i.e., a total of 20 (1) (2). Teeth eruption can be a mildly painful process, and sometimes there could be inflammation and redness of the gums. This may cause a few babies to feel miserable. As a parent, you would do anything to ease this pain (3). The primary resort for most parents is teething tablets. In this post, we discuss their safety, ingredients, and alternatives.
What Are Teething Tablets?
Teething tablets or pellets are homeopathic formulations purported to provide relief from teething pain. Parents can place the dissolvable tablet under the baby’s tongue, where it dissolves and provides relief from teething-related discomfort and symptoms. You may also provide the tablet with a few sips of water to older babies. Teething tablets are made from a variety of ingredients, which are mostly plants or plant-derived compounds. A tablet could contain single or multiple ingredients. The following are some of the common ingredients of teething tablets (4).
Calcium phosphate Calcium carbonate Chamomile plant Coffee extracts Modified iron phosphate Silica Sulfur
Are Teething Tablets Safe For Babies?
The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) warns against the use of homeopathic teething products, such as teething tablets, since they could contain plants or plant compounds that are toxic (5). Teething tablets may contain plants such as Belladonna and Aconite that are highly toxic and fatal. Teething tablets could increase the risks of health problems, such as seizures, due to their toxicity. The following are the common toxicity-related signs in babies.
Lethargy Drowsiness Excessive sleeping Difficulty breathing Skin flushing Muscle weakness Constipation Difficulty urinating Excessive fussiness
If you have already used teething tablets, stay alert to these signs. Seek prompt medical care if your baby displays these signs since early care could prevent any lasting effects of the toxins.
Safe Alternatives To Teething Tablets
The FDA encourages parents to manage teething without the use of any prescription or over-the-counter medicines (6). The following are some of the safe ways to soothe teething pain in babies and toddlers (7). Teething is a normal developmental phase that causes discomfort, which is usually harmless. As your baby grows older, they are likely to become tolerant to any teething-related irritation. Parents can easily manage teething symptoms at home through simple interventions without the need for teething tablets. If teething affects the baby’s feeding and sleeping pattern, speak to a pediatrician for safe remedies.
