Is Silicone Teether Safe for Babies? A Comprehensive Guide for Parents
As new parents, one of the many concerns you might have is ensuring the safety of the products your baby comes into contact with, especially the teething toy. In recent years, silicone teething toys have become a popular choice among parents; as you can imagine: "Is silicone teether safe for babies?" has become the biggest concern to parents.
Whether you are a new parent looking for answers about the safety of silicone teethers or a supplier searching for high-quality teether toys for your brand or store, the article that follows will provide valuable insights into silicone teethers.
Teething and Material Introduction
Over the years, teething has become a significant concern for parents and their little ones. But what are the key aspects of this process, and how do parents deal with it?
1. What is Teething and Teether
Teething refers to the process where a child's first teeth start to emerge,and for most babies, is the time when they are 4-6 months old, and this process, also called odontiasis, will likely continue until the child is about 3-4 years old .
This process can make babies feel very uncomfortable. Some signs and symptoms of teething include irritability, constant drooling, gum swelling, sensitivity, chewing and biting, and even a low-grade fever in some children.
However, there is no need to overworry, as this happens to all babies. Many parents who notice these symptoms choose to buy teething toys, teething gels, and teething cookies for their babies to ease the discomfort. Baby teethers are a popular choice among parents due to their softness, durability, and ease of cleaning and sanitizing.
2. What are The Main Raw Materials for Teether Now
Different materials have been used to make the types of teethers that help relieving your baby's teething pain and make the entire teething process more bearable. And silicone has become one of the favorable choice for teether manufacturing.
3. How did silicone teether effect
Babies aged 4 to 6 months are still developing their motor skills and often cannot control their bite strength. Silicone teethers offer a safe alternative for them to chew on without risk. Many silicone teether toys feature various massage points or textured surfaces designed to soothe and stimulate a baby's gums, providing a gentle massaging effect.
Some of these teethers even incorporate a toothbrush design, allowing your baby to clean their emerging teeth while they chew. For added relief, you can chill the teether in the refrigerator before use; the cold can help reduce gum swelling and alleviate discomfort, and it will not be too cold for the baby to hold.
A Multifaceted Look at Silicone Teether Safety
Although Silicone baby teethers are generally considered safe for babies, parents often have particular safety concerns they want to understand before letting their babies chew on them. As a manufacturer, I'm going to share some of the questions I've gathered and answer them to help you pick the teether toy of your choice!
Choking Hazard:
One of the concerns is about the choking hazards caused by silicone teether toys, especially silicone beads, may pose a choking risk to their babies, so it's important to make sure that you choose teether toys that are sturdy enough not to fall apart easily or designed as individual pieces or have securely attached parts. For example, teether mitts, teether balls, and teether rattle toys are all great choices!
Toxic Materials:
Of course, the main concern must be whether the teether is toxic or not. Parents should ensure that teethers are made from food-grade silicone. As professional baby teether manufacturers, we use the absolute best silicone for all of our silicone baby toys and teethers and make sure that " our silicone teethers do not contain harmful chemicals such as BPA, phthalates, or PVC" will be put on labor or product descriptions.
High-Temperature Sterilizable:
Is silicone safe for babies? Yes, it is. There is no better way to sterilize the teether than with boiling water or just throwing it in the dishwasher.But many parents worry that high temperatures will deform the silicone or even release harmful substances.
I have to say that heat sterilizing silicone teether toys is actually very safe, food grade silicone teethers typically hold still between -40°C and 220°C. This means that they can withstand temperatures ranging from extremely low to relatively high without deforming or releasing harmful substances. So, they can be sterilized in boiling water and are also able to be refrigerated!
Safe for Refrigeration:
The inherent properties of silicone, including its temperature resistance, make it an excellent choice for freezer teething toys. When placed in the refrigerator, silicone teethers can provide a soothing cold compress for a baby's gums. Additionally, silicone's non-porous nature prevents it from easily absorbing odors, ensuring the teether remains odor-free even after being stored in the fridge.
Stretchable and Soft
Parents may also have concerns about durability when it comes to silicone teethers. Silicone is a polymer elastomer with excellent elasticity and tear resistance, good flexibility, non-toxic and odorless, good mildew resistance, superior temperature resistance and electrical properties, oxygen resistance, light resistance, and anti-aging.
Wide Range of Silicone Teether Toy Types
There are many types of silicone teether toys on the market, including ring-shaped, animal-shaped, cartoon-image, water-filled, teething ball, toothbrush-shaped, teething necklaces, teething mittens, and food-shaped teethers.
Popular Silicone Teether Types
Rattles teethers, teether toothbrushes, animal-shaped teethers, and pacifier chains have emerged as some of the most popular types of teether toys.
Composite teether toys are often favored because they simultaneously meet the needs of babies or parents. They cater to the physiological needs of babies by providing relief during teething while also addressing parents' concerns for safety, educational value, and entertainment. The diversity of composite teethers is highlighted by their ability to integrate multiple functions and sensory stimuli, promoting the development of motor skills and sensory perception in infants. These teethers often feature an array of shapes and designs, such as rings, cubes, cylinders, and irregular polyhedra, which not only add a sense of three-dimensionality and color to the product but also enhance a child's intellectual development and imagination.