Is your infant beginning to teethe? In trying to help soothe your child’s discomfort have you turned to teething rings? While some of these rings have been around for years, and can be great at soothing an upset infant, they may not always be safe for your child if they aren’t used in a specific manner.
Here are some tips on how you can use teething rings safely:
-Do not freeze: Despite the facts that many people may have done this over the years, and that cool objects could relieve the discomfort of sore gums, we cannot recommend freezing teething rings. Frozen rings can potentially become very firm and injure your child’s gums, having the opposite effect of the one desired. If that weren’t bad enough, constant exposure to the extreme cold could cause frostbite. Instead of freezing, you can put the ring into your fridge.
-Stay away from harmful chemicals and liquid-filled rings: While this may seem obvious, some teething rings contain chemicals like phthalates that can leach out over time and become ingested. In that same vein of though, certain liquid-filled rings were recalled in the past due to potential bacterial contamination. When your child repeatedly chews on it, he or she could cause it to rupture and accidentally consume some of the liquid. Dr. Matt Swan could recommend that you use a teething ring that is made from firm rubber and doesn’t have small parts that could become a choking hazard.
If you would like more information about teething and live in or around Lehi, Utah, please call Mountainland Pediatric Dental & Orthodontics at 801-766-2111. Your child’s dental health is our highest priority, and we look forward to caring for his or her smile.