Amber teething necklaces are everywhere nowadays. It’s become the norm to see them around the necks of young babies who are at just the right age to experience the pain and frustrating of teething. Many parents tout them as practical miracle workers for their teething baby.
But if you’re a parent looking for a way to relieve your baby’s teething pain, you want to know: are amber teething necklaces actually beneficial for teething? Or are they just hype? After all, there are a lot of “all natural” products on the market today that do not live up to their promises. Let’s take a closer look at amber teething necklaces to find the answer to his often-asked question.
What Exactly Is Amber?
No, amber is not a precious stone like a sapphire or a ruby, despite what popular culture might tell you. Amber is actually tree sap! yes, the sticky stuff that comes out of trees which has become hardened and fossilized over millions of years. Fans of dinosaurs might be more familiar with amber as a preservative of all sorts of prehistoric bugs who became trapped in tree sap and remain there to this day.
How Does It Relieve Pain:
It’s not the amber itself which relieves pain, but a compound inside the amber known as succinic acid. Succinic acid is an anti-inflammatory agent, which is actually naturally present inside our bodies in a small amount. Amber teething necklaces reduce teething pain by reducing the inflammation of the gums; gum inflammation and irritation is a major source of pain for teething infants, so when this inflammation is reduced, the pain fades along with it.
Amber teething necklaces do not cause all-encompassing pain relief. If your baby’s teething pain is largely due to something other than inflammation, the necklaces may not be as effective as they are in other infants.
So, Are Amber Necklaces Actually Beneficial?
Yes to a great extent. The strength of the effects of succinic acid may vary from baby to baby, depending on how much of their teething pain is caused by inflammation, the extent of their inflammation, as well as their overall body makeup.
Amber teething necklace can be a great teething remedy because they do not have side effects, unlike other pain relieving remedies like painkillers which must be carefully monitored for side effects. Like any necklace, they should only be worn by infants when an adult is watching them; they should never be worn when an infant is sleeping or in the car when an adult cannot easily see and reach the baby, in case of potential choking hazards.
These necklaces are very easy to use and wear, and they can potentially last for years as long as you take care of them properly.
In all, amber teething necklaces are definitely not just hype. For most babies who are suffering from the agony of teething, these teething necklaces can be a source of great relief.