Teethers and Teething Relief (2026): What the FDA and AAP Say to Skip

This guide is for parents of a teething baby deciding what to buy and what to leave on the shelf. The FDA and AAP both say to start with a clean finger, then a firm, solid teether that is not frozen, such as the Comotomo or Dr. Brown's Ridgees, and to skip numbing gels, teething tablets and teething necklaces.

How we chose: every pick is solid, with no liquid or gel inside, no strings or cords and no listing that says to freeze it; each is sold by Amazon.com or the brand's own store, was checked against CPSC recall records, and was chosen from its listing, not tested. Guidance is quoted from the FDA's consumer update Safely Soothing Teething Pain in Infants and Children and the AAP's When Does Teething Start? on HealthyChildren.org. This is a buying guide, not medical advice.

What the FDA and AAP say to use and to skip

Both pages start with your finger: the AAP says "try gently rubbing or massaging the gums with one of your fingers." After that, both recommend a firm teether, and both name the products to avoid.

The FDA adds a rule for every teether here: "Be sure to supervise children so they don't accidentally choke on the teething ring."

Bottom line: a clean finger or a firm, solid teether, chilled at most, with an adult watching. No gels, no tablets, nothing around the neck.

The eight teethers

Prices are Amazon's, as of the time shown, and subject to change. Details

"Per the listing" means the brand's claim.

Numbing gels and teething tablets

The FDA says topical medicines "containing benzocaine or lidocaine offer little to no benefit and are associated with serious risks when used for teething pain in children. These include creams, gels, and homeopathic teething tablets."

• Benzocaine is in several nonprescription mouth-pain products. The FDA says using benzocaine products "can lead to a serious, and sometimes fatal, condition called methemoglobinemia, in which the oxygen-carrying capacity of red blood cells is greatly reduced."
• Viscous lidocaine is a prescription mouth-pain solution. The FDA says it "also should not be used to treat teething pain in infants and young children" and can cause "heart problems, severe brain injury and even death."
• Homeopathic tablets: the AAP says they "provide no benefit."

The AAP's summary: "Never use teething gels to numb the gums; in rare cases they can poison babies' blood cells and keep them from carrying oxygen." Keep adult mouth-pain products for adults, and ask your pediatrician before giving your baby any medicine for teething.

Amber necklaces and teething jewelry

The FDA says it "has received reports of death and serious injuries to infants and children, including strangulation and choking, caused by teething jewelry, such as amber teething necklaces." The AAP's rule is wider: "remember never to leave anything around your baby's neck."

Bracelets, anklets and beaded teethers on long cords bring the same small parts or cord close to a baby's mouth. Pacifier clips raise a related question; our pacifier guide explains the AAP's rule on clips and cords during sleep.

Frozen, chilled or liquid-filled

Cold feels good on sore gums, so plenty of teethers are sold as "chillable" or "freezer" teethers. The official pages draw the line here:

• Not frozen. The FDA says "Make sure the teething ring is not frozen. If the object is too hard, it can hurt the child's gums." The AAP says frozen teethers "tend to get too hard and can cause more harm than good."
• Not liquid-filled. The FDA recommends a firm teether that is "not liquid-filled." CPSC records show why: in 2011 Calisson recalled a liquid-filled teething ring because, if it was punctured, "bacteria and mold can grow inside the teether's untreated liquid."
• Chilled is not ruled out. Neither page says not to refrigerate a teether. The Winkel listing says it "can be refrigerated"; check the listing before you do.

So we left out water- and gel-filled teethers from Bright Starts, Nuby, Itzy Ritzy and Dr. Brown's, a RaZbaby teether whose listing says it can be frozen, and the Frida Baby 4-in-1, whose "cooling inserts" are not described.

Freezing is hard on the teether too. The CPSC's 2026 recall of Skip Hop Elmo silicone teethers says "The black eyes can detach from the recalled teether if frozen."

Which teether for which stage

Before the first tooth (newborn and up). The Bright Starts Oball Red Apple and Manhattan Toy Winkel Colorpop are both listed for newborns. At this age grabbing matters as much as chewing, and the Oball's finger holes and the Winkel's tube maze are both easy to hold.

Front teeth (around 4 to 7 months). The AAP says the two front teeth "usually appear first," and a small, simple teether reaches them. The Comotomo is one piece of silicone with finger-shaped nubs; the mushie Nature Teething Ring is a plain ring, the shape the AAP describes; the Dr. Brown's Ridgees is flat and light.

Molars (later in the first year and beyond). The first molars come after the front teeth, the AAP says. The Itzy Ritzy Teether for Molars uses flexible hollow tubes to reach the back of the mouth, the Nuby Silicone Teething Tubes do the same in a three-pack, and the Itzy Ritzy Teether Trio puts three textures on one ring.

What about Sophie la girafe? Sophie is natural rubber, the material both official pages name. When we checked, the listing sold by the brand's US store was out of stock and the others were third-party sellers, so it has no product card. Natural rubber is latex: skip it if anyone in the family has a latex allergy.

The recalls we checked

In 2026 alone, the CPSC recall records we track include at least nine recalls of pull-string teething toys. The CPSC says the silicone strings "are smaller and longer than permitted" and "can reach the back of the throat and become lodged." One is the Little Rawr pull-string teething toy recall, sold on Amazon by a third-party seller.

We found no recall of any teether listed here. Older recalls from the same companies involve other products:

• Kids II, the company behind Bright Starts, recalled Bright Starts Star Teether Beads and Teether Beads in 2007. The CPSC said the plastic ring holding the beads "can crack or break, and the beads can detach."
• Manhattan Toy recalled the Whoozit Touch and Teethe in 2000, which "can pull apart easily and expose small pieces," and its Brilliant Bee rattles were recalled by Sassy Baby in 2024.
• Dr. Brown's maker Handi-Craft recalled Lovey pacifier and teether holders in 2018 because the snap could detach.
• mushie recalled FRIGG silicone pacifiers in 2022 because the nipple could detach from the shield.

Before buying any teether, search its brand and name on our baby product recalls page.

Using and cleaning a teether

• Stay close. The FDA says to supervise children so they don't choke on the teether.
• Inspect it every time. Throw away any teether that is torn, cracked or missing a piece; tubes and multi-piece rings have more to check.
• Clean it as the maker says. The mushie ring is top-rack dishwasher safe, the Nuby tubes come with a brush, and the Oball apple is wipe-clean only.
• Keep it out of the crib. A teether is an awake-time toy; see our guide to what is safe in a crib.
• Brush once teeth arrive. The AAP says to brush first teeth with "a soft child's toothbrush and a smear of fluoridated toothpaste the size of a grain of rice."

For toys by age, see our toy safety by age guide and gifts for babies under 1.

Frequently Asked Questions

When do babies start teething?

Usually by 4 to 7 months: the AAP says babies "typically start teething by about 4- to 7-months-old," most often with the two front teeth. It adds that timing varies a lot and a later start "doesn't mean that anything is wrong."

Can teething cause a fever?

Only a slight one. The AAP says teething may cause "a slight rise in temperature (but not over 101 degrees Fahrenheit or 38.3 degrees Celsius)." Above 101°F, it says the fever is probably not from teething and to call your pediatrician. Our baby thermometer guide covers taking a reading.

Is it safe to put a teether in the freezer?

No. The FDA says "Make sure the teething ring is not frozen," and the AAP says frozen teethers "can cause more harm than good." Neither rules out chilling one in the fridge if its listing allows it.

Can I use Orajel or another numbing gel on my baby's gums?

No. The FDA says benzocaine products, a group that includes some Orajel products, "should not be used for teething pain in children because they can be dangerous," and the AAP says never to use teething gels to numb the gums. Ask your pediatrician about pain relief.

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NurseryProof is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This guide summarizes public guidance and is not medical advice; ask your pediatrician about teething pain, fever and any medicine for your baby.