As a Parent you only want the very best for your Baby while they teeth but beware of Baltic Amber as a Teething remedy.
Late-night snuggles and singing songs to your sleepy baby can be one of the sweetest experiences of parenthood.
They hurt, they are so very tired, you are exhausted, and as a parent you feel like you should be able to help, but everything you’ve tried falls short.
Cold chew toys warm up too quickly; you don’t want to over-medicate, yet the pain doesn’t stick to the dosing schedule.
Massaging your little one’s gums seems to help, but you can’t just let baby gnaw on your hand forever!
Is there anything (other than simply enduring this stage) that can return you and your baby to a life that doesn’t revolve completely around teething?
The answer, according to Amber teething necklace sellers is, “YES!”
Beware of Baltic Amber as a Teething remedy
A study published in June of 2017 and presented at a Canadian Pediatric Society conference in Vancouver tested 15 amber teething necklaces to learn if they would withstand the force required to release their clasps.
The necklaces clasps were tested based on a suggested U.S. industry standard for children’s jewelry; 15 pounds of force for 10 seconds.
Only 8 of 15 necklaces released; 7 necklaces remained intact.
Think about this for a second.
Things that weigh 15 pounds or 6.8 Kilograms:
- An adult sized bowling ball.
- 1-1/2 Gallons of paint.
- Twice the weight of the average cat.
- 19 inch flat screen TV.
So here is the really terrifying part.
Only 1.6 pounds or 0.72 Kilograms of force is enough to choke a Child.
The Authors of the report tested 10 necklaces with only 1.6 pounds or 0.72 Kilograms of force and only 2 necklaces broke open or released.
Lucy Soudek, a Dalhousie University medical school student who co-authored the study with materials engineer Edward Moffatt and Dr. Robyn McLaughlin, a pediatrician at the IWK Children’s Hospital in Halifax, said the findings show that amber teething necklaces pose a serious risk to babies and children.
So Parents – Beware of Baltic Amber as a Teething remedy.
Amber contains Succinic Acid which is good for relieving pain
While we were researching this article we could not find any scientific data that substantiated this claim.
We found lots of websites that sell Baltic Amber that make the claim that Succinic Acid when absorbed into the Baby’s body through the skin will act as a pain relief mechanism.
We found some excellent well researched articles, specifically “Amber Teething Beads – a Few Points to Consider” that looked hard for evidence that the Succinic Acid could be absorbed from Baltic Amber. There is some really good info through the comments section of this article that suggests Succinic Acid ingested orally might provide relief (but no scientific proof).
We learned that the heat temperature of human skin is not hot enough to facilitate any element or chemical to be absorbed from Amber.
What is Amber? It is fossilized plant resin from ancient forests. Amber is hard as stone.
Baltic Amber worked for my Mother (says my Grandmother)
You have been told that for centuries, the people of Northern Europe have used the properties of Baltic Amber to treat arthritis pain, joint inflammation, and muscle spasm.
Now desperate online searches for an answer, reveals this “solution” that is making its way into mainstream parenting.
So, what exactly is Baltic amber and why is it claimed to help families with teething little ones?
Baltic amber, as its name implies, is simply amber – a fossilized resin – found exclusively in the Baltic States of Northern Europe.
The “claimed” amber used in teething necklaces most commonly comes from Lithuania.
Sellers claim that only amber from the Baltic States contains enough of the effective ingredient to offer significant relief.
Risk outweighs Benefit
The claimed “effective ingredient” contained in this geographically specific amber is called Succinic acid.
It is believed (but not proven scientifically) to have both analgesic (pain-relieving) and anti-inflammatory (reducing swelling) properties that are activated when the amber is heated.
Old World Europeans were known to crush the amber into a powder to be used in hot baths for arthritis treatment.
Users claim the warm water releases Succinic acid, which is absorbed through the skin, distributed to painful, inflamed joints by the bloodstream, and the sufferer experiences relief.
Amber teething necklaces use this same process. Sellers claim they rely on baby’s body heat to warm and release the naturally-occurring Succinic acid. (science does not support that Succinic Acid can be absorbed from Amber into the body replying on Body heat)
The safety concern remains, pointing to possible strangulation risk if the necklace becomes caught against something and pulls tight.
Sellers claim an amber teething necklace should be snug-fitting so that it lays against baby’s skin, underneath their clothing.
Retailers claim the necklace should not be loose and dangling, and each amber bead should be separated by a knot.
Sellers claim that proper fit and parental supervision answer the skeptics’ concerns. (So you can never leave your Baby alone while wearing this necklace.)
Presenting an unbiased perspective is impossible for us and clearly this article is biased.
Due to the identified risk we maintain that you need to Beware of Baltic Amber as a Teething remedy.
We do not endorse this remedy so please Beware of Baltic Amber as a Teething remedy.
