Image source: Rachel Demsik Flikr

The FDA has received reports of death and serious injuries to infants and children, including strangulation and choking, caused by necklaces and bracelets often marketed for relieving teething pain. Parents and other caregivers may use these products to help relieve teething pain or to provide sensory stimulation in people with special needs. The risks of using teething jewelry include choking, strangulation, injury to the mouth, and infection. Choking may occur if the jewelry breaks and small beads or the whole piece of jewelry enter the child’s throat or airway.

Teething jewelry includes necklaces, bracelets, and other jewelry that can be worn by either an adult or child, and is often marketed to relieve an infant’s teething pain. The beads of the jewelry may be made with various materials such as amber, wood, marble, or silicone. Jewelry marketed for teething pain is not the same as teething rings or teethers, which are made of hard plastic or rubber, and are not worn by an adult or child.

The FDA received a report of a 7-month old child who choked on the beads of a wooden teething bracelet while under parental supervision and was taken to the hospital as a precaution. Strangulation can happen if a necklace is wrapped too tightly around the child’s neck or if the necklace catches on an object such as a crib. The FDA received a report of an 18-month old child who was strangled to death by an amber teething necklace during a nap. Other concerns include potential injury to the mouth or infection if a piece of the jewelry irritates or pierces the child’s gums.

Image source: Rachel Demsik Flikr

“We know that teething necklaces and jewelry products have become increasingly popular among parents and caregivers who want to provide relief for children’s teething pain and sensory stimulation for children with special needs,” explained FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, MD.

“We’re concerned about the risks we’ve observed with these products and want parents to be aware that teething jewelry puts children, including those with special needs, at risk of serious injury and death.”

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On October 5th, 2016, Deacon Morin, an 18-month-old toddler was dropped off at preschool with his amber teething necklace. During his naptime, he was strangled to death by the teething necklace he was wearing.

He was rushed to the hospital and put on life support, but it was already too late.

Deacon Morin

Recommendations for Parents and Caregivers

Do not use necklaces, bracelets, or any other jewelry marketed for relieving teething pain. The use of these products can lead to serious injuries including strangulation or choking.

Be aware that the use of jewelry marketed for relieving teething pain or provide sensory stimulation to people with special needs can lead to serious injuries including strangulation or choking.

Review the American Academy of Pediatrics’ recommendations for treating teething paindisclaimer icon.

Talk to your doctor about alternative ways you can reduce teething pain such as:

gently rubbing or massaging the gums with a clean finger

giving the teething child a teething ring made of firm rubber

Make sure the teething ring is not frozen. If the object is too hard, it can hurt the child’s gums. Parents and caregivers should supervise the child during use.

Avoid teething creams and benzocaine gels, sprays, ointments, solutions, and lozenges for mouth and gum pain in infants and children younger than 2 years. Benzocaine and other local anesthetics can cause methemoglobinemia, a serious condition in which the amount of oxygen carried through the blood is reduced. This condition is life-threatening and can result in death.

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Source: FDA.gov