Almost all parents are given some sort of teething aid at their baby shower to help their little one when the time for teething approaches, but many of these teething aids are potentially unsafe for babies. So what’s a natural minded mama to do?
Today I want to look at two commonly used NATURAL teething aids and discuss why even these options may not be the BEST fit.
OTC Teething Gels
It’s not new news that the FDA has removed their approval of baby teething gel products that contain benzocaine. (Source) That happened back in 2011, but after that some teething companies changed their formula to more natural, homeopathic options that from the outside, looks great and has lots of natural-minded parents giving it a thumbs up.
The problem with products like these is that once you look into the ingredients, you may find that it’s not really as natural or good for your baby as you once thought.
Let’s take a look at the ingredient list on a box of natural baby teething gel just to see what’s in it.
Active Ingredients: Calcarea Phosphorica, 12X HPUS. Chamomilla, 6X HPUS. Coffea Cruda, 6X HPUS. Inactive Ingredients: Glycerin, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Sorbic Acid, Water.
Active Ingredients
The active ingredients look great. They’re homeopathic, but even then, what are they and what do they do?
Calcarea Phosphorica – Calcarea phosphorica comes from calcium phosphate which is a mineral salt found in the human body and helps to make the outer layer of bone hard. It’s commonly used during periods of rapid growth in children as well as times of nutritional deficiency and has even been shown to help with some psychological conditions in children too. (Source)
Chamomilla – Chamomilla is essentially a very weak, diluted chamomile tincture, and it practically does the same thing the tincture would. When it comes to using it with teething babies, it’s used to help them calm down, relax, and or sleep. (Source)
Coffea Cruda – Coffea cruda is unroasted coffee beans, diluted, and used as a homeopathic teething remedy because it’s thought to help relax the nervous system. (Source)
Inactive Ingredients
Now, what about the inactive ingredients? Some I recognize. Some I can pronounce. Some I don’t know how to pronounce or what they’re for.
Glycerin – I’ve talked about the use of glycerin before in children’s teething products. Glycerin in and of itself isn’t bad, but when it comes to coating your child’s teething in it, it’s no good. You can read more about the negative effects of glycerin on teeth remineralization in this post here on children’s toothpaste ingredients.
Hydroxyethylcellulose – Hydroxyethylcellulose is most commonly used as a thickening agent in cosmetics and is a derivative of cellulose, a fibrous substance found in wood, cotton, and paper. The main problem with this additive is that it’s been known to be associated with allergic reactions ranging from mild burning, itching, and rashes to severe swelling and breathing issues. (Source)
Potassium Sorbate – Potassium sorbate is used as a preservative in many foods and supplements (even herbal ones). For the most part, it’s been shown to be harmless except for causing allergic reactions from overexposure (Source), but in a 2010 Turkish study was linked to mutation of human white blood cells in vitro. Although this study may not mean that this actually happens all the time in humans, it does show that it can affect the body negatively as we know many preservatives can. Again, just another reason to keep things simple and natural in my mind. (Source)
Sodium Benzoate – Sodium benzoate is another preservative (because one was not enough) that increases the acidity of a product, therefore preventing fungal and bacterial growth in it. It’s been shown to form the carcinogen, benzene, when mixed with vitamin c and cause hyperactivity in children. (Source, Source)
Sorbic Acid – OMGoodness… another preservative. Seriously! Three! So sorbic acid occurs naturally in certain berries, but it’s produced synthetically and used in foods and cosmetics to decrease their microbial content. The powers that be say sorbic acid is safe for human consumption, but even Whole Foods won’t allow it in the foods they carry in their store and it’s been linked to allergic skin reactions. (Source)
So, apparently this is better than the old baby teething gels that contained benzocaine, but with all these preservatives and potential cancer-causing additives, it’s still not something that will be found in this mamas medicine cabinet, whether it’s labeled “natural” or not.
So what’s the second commonly used teething aid that may not be so safe for your baby? This one may surprise you.
Clove Essential Oil
Yeah, I said it.
I’m not against clove essential oil or using it to help with tooth pain… for adults that is. When it comes to using it on small babies who are teething, after much research, I’m no longer on board with it.
I will confess… I’ve used it a few times with my kids when they were younger, and I’ve used it on myself. It works well, but you have to use a good amount of clove essential oil to get the really good numbing effect. From my current researching of clove oil, it’s just not safe for small children because of its strength and the low recommended dilution rate.
First of all, clove essential oil isn’t recommended for use on children until the age of 2, and even then it’s at a small dilution rate. A .25% dilution rate is what’s recommended which equals 1 drop of essential oil to 4 teaspoons of carrier oil. That’s not very much. There are some that say that if you’re looking for a therapeutic dose of clove essential oil like you would be when using it for tooth pain, a 1% dilution is acceptable. This may be okay for adults, but just knowing about clove essential oil and how strong it is makes me question whether this is the best choice for a child. (Source)
Clove essential oil is strong. Its main chemical component is eugenol which is what gives it that nice numbing feeling in your mouth. It’s typically used for pain relief, boosting the immune system, being an antiseptic, stimulating digestion or even calming digestive upset and helping with respiratory distress. All great things… just maybe not the best choice for little ones. (Source)
You can read more about using clove oil for teeth here.
So what’s a natural mama to do that wants to help her teething baby find some relief? Well, you have a few options.
Many mamas love teething necklaces. Either Baltic amber teething necklaces for pain relief (purchase here) or even cloth teething necklaces that baby can chew on. Some mamas swear by soaking a baby washcloth in chamomile tea and freezing it, letting baby chew on it when they need it while others use all natural baby teething biscuits that baby can chew on to provide some relief. But what can be used that’s totally natural, will help to calm baby, and provide some on-the-spot pain relief? Come back Friday for an herbal option that may be a good fit for your little one.
No matter, each mama needs to do her research and know her options. Only then will you know what’s best when you try different things to see what works.
We used clove oil and homemade vanilla extract. Thanks for making me aware of the clove oil, I will research it further.
You’re very welcome Milissa… I used it too before I researched and knew it wasn’t the safest thing for them. I’d say a lot of parents have used it because it works and they didn’t know. I’ve never heard of using vanilla extract though… how does that help? I’m interested in knowing.
Have you ever heard of pumpkin but oil ? It seems to have clove , Chamomile and peppermint diluted for teething baby’s ?
No Kim, I’ve not heard of it. Obviously each person should do their own research and decide what’s best for their family, but I try to stay away from EOs that aren’t recommended for kids under a certain age. There are other teething options available that I’d rather use. Hope the helps you out some!
Vanilla extract is essentially bourbon So sure it works but it’s like giving baby a shot of booze Be carfu
Yes! That definitely makes sense. However, a shot of alcohol is equal to 1.5 ounces, and you definitely wouldn’t use that much by rubbing a bit of vanilla extract on a baby’s gums to numb them!
We really liked hylands teething tablets but the amber teething necklace from inspired by finn was the best, I think. my baby didn’t have more than half a dozen rough nights caused by teething. The only time I removed the necklace was during baths and sleeping. I’m glad to know about clove oil not being safe for babies because if I had know two years ago about clove oil’s benefits for a tooth ache, I probably would have give her some.
Thanks for your comment Eleanor! I know some parents love hylands teething tables… I’ve never looked into them so I’ll have to do that. And yes, clove oil is great… just not so much for little ones! I love having it on hand though.
I’ve used the Hyland’s teething tablets with my youngest and they worked for her. Also recommended them to a friend and she said they helped her baby, too. From what I’ve read, some homeopathic treatments don’t work for everyone so you’d have to try it and see. Thanks for the teething info! I’d heard about clove oil being dangerous for babies, so won’t be using that. But, I found that some mouthwash I have with clove oil in it helped my sore throat. =)
Yes… I definitely agree that not all remedies work for everyone… homeopathic, herbal, or even drugs. Our bodies are all different and healthy isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach anyway. And, I personally love clove oil. I use it a lot… just not on my little ones anymore!
The family I’m nannying for has a cranky teething baby, so I suggested chamomile tea. The mother came home with hyland’s teething gel, which is the one you analyzed for this post. It doesn’t seem to really work, and you’re right,the ingredients are very questionable. It’s sad that so many parents are fooled by the words “all natural” on packaging, and think actual natural remedies are either ineffective or silly.
Actually Jamie… it wasn’t Hyland’s that I got the ingredient list from, but that’s interesting that it’s similar. I thought Hyland’s was more natural than this one… less preservatives. I thought the problems with Hyland’s was the Belladonna in it, but again, I’m totally not sure on that one as I’m not big into homeopathic alternative medicine and haven’t researched it much. I only use it occasionally. Anyway, it doesn’t matter whether it’s food or skincare or even clothing and other products we use… the term “natural” always tricks people. It used to trick me all the time!
One thing I did was to take a 100% cotton white sock and fill it 1/4 full of ice chips. Then tie a tight knot in the sock close to the ice to secure the chips and from small hands opening it up. Quickly dip the tip of the sock up to the knot into a lavender made tea . Let the child gum the sock to death. It will satisfy the urge to chew, the ice and lavender is a natural pain reliever and it will calm the child as well. Do not use anything but lavender tea. Oils are too potent!
Fyi, a note about the sock teether, the child can hold on to the part of the sock above the ice and knot so their little hands don’t freeze.
Oh that’s a great idea Shelli! Thanks for sharing!
Chamomile eo is good for tooth pain as well and is more gentle essential oil. I dont have any idea about using it with infants though. Have you come across anything related to its use with teething?
Yes! Chamomile is great for relaxing babies. I just wrote a post about using chamomile tincture on teething babies today, but as far as using the EO, I’ve not read anything specifically on using it for teething. I’m sure it’s out there though. It is safe for babies (I think 3 mo. and up at a .25% dilution), but I always prefer to use EOs externally over internally unless it’s necessary. I’m sure you could use chamomile EO like you would the clove EO and use it on the gums to help relax baby and decrease inflammation. You’d just wanna make sure it was diluted properly so they don’t ingest too much. Great thought! Thanks for sharing Jumara!!
Yes chamomile help soothing gums.at least that’s what helped my babies tremendously. We get these homeopathic chamomile pills called dentonic with recommended dosage my babies had smooth teething.
Thanks for sharing your successes Pearl!
I cook apples for our little one. We saute them in coconut oil with cinnamon and cloves! Everybody gets to enjoy them!
Umm… sounds delicious! Does that usually help with your baby’s teething pain?
I brewed calendula flowers and mixed with coconut oil for both grandsons. Worked very well.
Interesting Dawn! Did you just rub it on their gums?
One thing we learned from a friend’s mother was to give the baby a piece of celery to chew on. As they chew the celery, it naturally numbs the gums a little, but just by being able to rub the celery on their gums they feel better. My son loves it! As they get older, you can put a little peanut butter or hummus with the celery and it turns into a gum-soothing snack 🙂
That’s interesting Wendy… I’ve heard some other moms mention celery before too. I suppose the shape of it helps to massage the gums, and maybe you could even lightly freeze it to help with the numbing some. My only concern would be for kiddos to bite a chunk off and swallow it before they could chew well. I suppose that would just depend on the child and each parent would have to make that call on their own. I love the idea though! Thanks for sharing!
Hi, my 13 months old daughter has caries in front upper 2 teeth. Plz help…i have minimized sugar n i clean them after every meal with wet finger or wet cotton cloth. Plz tell me something that can stop it from further spreading. Teeth are broken at edges. Thanks a lot.
Hi Ritu… this is a post I wrote about healing cavities, and the book mentioned is the best book I know on this topic. Hope it helps!
Clove oil needs to be diluted…it is a very strong herb. Do you know how many herbs carry that distinction? Almost all of them!
Clove oil has been used for hundreds of years in the right hands.
I like the amber necklaces…but they don’t always work.
I think Hyland’s works on about 50% of the kids based on conversations with mothers.
Clove oil is very effective…it is disappointing you run away in fear instead of studying more adequate dilution.
LOL Renee! It’s apparent you don’t read my blog because of your comment. If you did, you’d know that I’m not anti-essential oil, I promote diluting all EOs, and that I’m a stickler for using them safely on everyone (especially children). You’d also know that I certainly don’t “run away in fear instead of studying” as that’s the majority of what this blog is about… sharing how to not be afraid by learning all you can and putting that info into practice. If I ran away in fear I’d vaccinate my children and dose them up with Tylenol at the first sign of a fever… but I don’t… because I’ve studied enough to be comfortable with an alternative choice.
In fact, I’m wondering if you even read what I wrote about clove EO in this post. The reason I wonder is because I said clove EO was strong and must be diluted. I also said it was not recommended to use on children under 2 (which rules out a good portion of the teething age) and after that the dilution rate is small (.25% – 1%) which, in my opinion, isn’t as effective at that dilution rate.
No matter… I welcome other people’s opinions even if they differ from mine because I’m human, and I certain don’t have all the answers. I too am still learning. Maybe next time it would be wise to read the whole post though as we basically agreed on most points.
This is what I did. (http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Clove-Oil) Works a treat. The batch i made has gotten weaker over time. After reading your post thoroughly i now question myself as to use it or not. It’s not an essential oil, which is much more potent then the recipe. I bought the essential oil but didn’t use it as it smelt to strong. My partner and I apply it just before feeding so the baby does bite her nipples. Not used all the time just when required. What are your thoughts on this?
When I have a tooth ache i bite a whole clove between the effected teeth which numbs them. Never used essential oil.
From my understanding, infusing a carrier oil with cloves is definitely weaker than using the essential oil from cloves. As far as using it on baby, it will just depend on how they respond to it. Personally I’d test them for a reaction to it by rubbing a small amount on the underside of their wrist and wait to see if it makes them red or itchy. If not, test a bigger area and see how they do with it. If they do fine, it shouldn’t be a problem to use it on them.
As far as how you’re using it with toothaches goes, that’s the common method of using cloves for teeth. Before EOs were common, people would put a clove in their mouth, usually along the gum line of the tooth that was hurting, and hold it there in order to numb that area. Of course it’s the clove’s essential oil that numbs the area, but it’s not as strong or irritating when the oil is slowly released from the clove than it can be when you use the EO.
What about using real cloves (3 or 4 whole cloves) in making a tea and giving that to a teething infant? Is that safe as opposed to the clove EO?
Yes Jasmine… that’s totally different than using clove EO as it’s more concentrated and stronger. I’m not opposed to making a clove tincture and rubbing that on baby’s gums. There will be essential oils in the tea and tincture, but it’s no where as concentrated as the pure EO.
I have been using clove oil and water as a mouth wash for my 3 and 4 year old kids and have also allow them to take one drink of the mixture I was just reading all of this and now wondering is I’m harming them….I use 3 drops for about 4 Oz water….
That seems like a very diluted amount Kelsey, but I personally think that it would be too strong for that age child… especially since the oils don’t mix with the water and those oils can damage the delicate tissues in the mouth and esophagus. You could switch to another oil that is safer for that age… maybe cinnamon leaf. I think you can use it on kids over 2. You could also dilute the EO in almond oil first and then mix that with their water before swishing. I’m not sure why they’d need to swallow it as ingesting EOs is really only necessary for certain illnesses and rarely needed with children. Just do some more research on it. Plant therapy has aromatherapists you can talk to and get their opinions. They can help you come up with a good plan. Best of luck mama!!
German Chamomile hydrosol is a great choice instead! I am taking aromatherapy classes through an accredited school and that is what they recommend. EO’s are not recommended for children under 2. I like the sock idea that was listed above with the lavender tea as well!
Yes! Hydrosols actually contain very small amounts of EOs so it’s a great in-between for the little ages. I totally respect the opinions of those who’ve gone to school and studied aromatherapy, and I’m aware of the different schools of thoughts and opinions on safety for little ones. I really like Valerie Worwood though. She’s a well respected English aromatherapist with years of experience and she says chamomile is safe for small babies. Again, I know everyone differs on what oils are safe for which ages and I don’t think there’s any “one way’. As long as a person has done some research, consulted an aromatherapist, and feels confident with their decision. I think dilution is key and how much of the body the oil is used on. Anyway… I usually opt for a combo of herbs and EOs which works well for us. Thanks for sharing Jessica!
Have you researched the Babyganics teething pods? The only ingredients are coconut oil, stevia and clove oil. I have no idea what the dilution percentage is though. I wonder if it’s safe….? Also, why is diluted clove oil not recommended for children under 2? Thanks for your post!
I haven’t heard of the teething pods Cara, but none-the-less I’d be hesitant in using them with the clove oil… diluted or not. The reason is that clove oil can be very irritating to the tissues. The recommended dilution rate for clove essential oil is 1% for adults and around .25% with children. Even with the correct dilution rate for kids, as I said in this article, it doesn’t seem to help numb pain because it’s not strong enough. So perhaps the Babyganics product is diluted to a safe amount, but if it is, I can only assume it doesn’t work all that well as that dilution rate is too small for an effective therapeutic effect.
I thought you credible until I realized toward the end of the article that you have not done thorough research on everything you recommend. Please look into the following link regarding amber necklace for teething pain relief. https://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/amber-waves-of-woo/ Besides being a choking hazard, it has no merit other than giving baby something to chew on.
Thank you, however, for explanation of all ingredients in Baby Orajel Naturals. We are in the throws of teething distress and would like the safest solution!
Thanks for sharing this link with me. I appreciate other people’s opinions, and this doctor makes some really great points (although I don’t agree with her entirely).
I’ve addressed using baltic amber teething necklaces before, in this post here (which has been updated), and I’ve tried to share what I know about them as well as my experience. I did not say they worked for everyone, and I feel like I’ve tried to stay pretty neutral about whether they work or not. I have personally had good results with them with my kids, but they aren’t my go-to teething aid when it comes to relieving pain. I will also say that we’ve not had any issues with this necklace being a choking hazard… no beads breaking, necklace strand breaking, and my baby can’t chew on it. That’s just my experience, and it is up to every parent to keep an eye on their child and to use products they think is best. Again, I address this in the previously linked post.
As for my creditability, I try to do my research and share my experiences. That’s the best I can do. I am human and definitely not perfect. I’m a nurse so I prefer scienced-based evidence when it comes to natural remedies, but there is limited research on a lot of things that people have used successfully for hundreds of years. I’ve come to learn that everything can’t be explained by science so although I prefer that, I do know that science doesn’t always have the final say.
Thanks for your comment, and I did find the doctors Orajel comment to be very interesting as I’m sure many other parents would. Plus, I thought the title of her post was very clever!
My 8 month old is currently as i can see cutting her top front teeth. She already has her bottom two and we never experienced a fever. She has been running a fever of about 101.5 for the past 2 days. I read Mommypotamus article that mentioned fevers (do i treat them the same as teething fever?) and she mentioned your site. My question is, what would you do about the fever if tomorrow (day 3) she is still running the fever? any suggestions? Thanks in advance – any advice is greatly appreciated. currently doing rescue remedy kids, (going to store now for chamomile tincture now), lots a baby carrying, and nursing. She is definitely in pain and really won’t let me put her down and lets out screams every few minutes and babbling. poor thing…
Hey, Danielle! Thanks for your comment. It seems that all babies handle teething differently so it’s hard to say what “normal” is. A 101.5 fever is no cause to rush off to the doctors office, especially if you think it could be related to teething. I think most doctors recommend to see little ones if they have a fever over 102 or a fever that persists for days and doesn’t get better. If she’s fussy off and on, wants to be held and nursed, and is drooling or putting things in her mouth (like her fingers), it’s likely that it is teething. When it comes to my kids and teething, I try to be really consistent with the Rescue Remedy and the chamomile tincture. I’ll also use other natural teething aids if they help. I love the frozen washcloths. My babies all seemed to like them. I hope that helps, and as always, if you’re worried or if she doesn’t seem to be doing any better or is getting worse, your pediatrician would be happy to check her out. Best of luck, mama!
Thanks for this thorough post! Have you heard of using white fir essential oil instead of clove? A friend who uses it was recently telling me it’s effective and safe.
I haven’t heard of that. Interesting! I’ll have to check into that. I love fir and pine EOs!
Thanks for your post, I was about to buy some clove oil for my teething babe. Could Kawakawa Hydrosol be used? I can’t find any info on this to see.
I’m sorry, Natasha. I actually don’t know anything about that particular hydrosol, but my guess is that lavender and chamomile hydrosols would work well to calm little ones a bit.
When my kids were little and teething, I lived in Germany. I bought the German kinder tea which is made from fennel and tasted like licorice. My boys liked it hot or cold and it soothed them in minutes.
Now, you can find varieties on Amazon.
Oh, awesome. Thanks for sharing, Anita! I’m sure that product will be super helpful for mamas with teething babies.
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Hi Meagan,
My son is starting to teeth and his babysitter mentioned that she used the Calcarea Phosphorica 6x tablets for teething. She is of Indian decent and stated that they use just this homeopathic agent in their culture for teething babies and she swears by it. I’ve been trying to find information on just these tablets alone but so far have not found any studies, etc. Do you have any advice?
I don’t know that much about homeopathy, Amanda, so you may want to talk to someone who specializes in this area.
From my research, Calcarea Phosphorica is most commonly used for nutritional deficiencies that can contribute to the delay of teeth emerging (among many other things), getting bad news that results in long-term, deep-seated emotional distress, and for help when the weather turns from cold to wet as that often causes emotional and physical issues in the body. I saw many indications for using it for teething issues… my guess is because it’s linked to the nutrition it contains.
I didn’t see any warnings about it on any of the information I found, and I was searching for information from homeopathic schools. Again, it seems that it’s commonly used, but I’d get an okay by someone with more experience and education in this area if I were you. Hope this helps!
I don’t feel the amber teething necklaces are safe myself. Here’s the deal: it’s possible (but unlikely, based on multiple tests and studies) that a small amount of an aspirin-like compound is released into the child’s skin from the amber, triggered by warmth and moisture.
So there are two possibilities here:
1- it does nothing but waste your money and put the baby at risk from choking. The instructions clearly state that the necklace must be short enough so that the baby cannot pull the beads into their mouth, but based on the ones I’ve seen on babies most parents don’t do this.
2- an actual analgesic is in fact being released into your child’s body and helping with pain. That would be a drug, no matter how ‘natural’ (aspirin itself is derived from willow bark. And also, nature has produced plenty of toxins- arsenic, belladonna, cyanide…). And this drug is therefore entering your baby’s bloodstream at a completely unknown rate and strength, for as long as they are wearing the necklace. Choking risk remains the same.
I don’t care for either option. If my child is in enough pain to warrant chemical intervention, I believe it’s much safer to know how much and how often it is entering their bloodstream.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts here, Lori. From my understanding, succinic acid (which is also produced in the body) is the part of amber that works to block pain and inflammation, and there is no risk of accumulation of it in the body. I talk about it and the scientist who discovered it more in this post. I’m not sure if it will be new information to you or not, but it may be something else to look into and consider. And of course, if amber necklaces aren’t a fit for you, that’s totally fine too. It’s nice to have a lot of helpful options, right?
I don’t know too much about the other chemicals you listed, but
Sodium benzoate actually only only turns to benzene when mixed with high levels of Vitamin C AND extremely high temperatures. Also, benzene is mostly harmful when absorbed into the lungs, through air or vapor. When ingested as a liquid or in food, the typical worst that happens is skin irritation (assuming we’re talking short term. If you’re ingesting it every day for years, it leads to issues with red blood cells and platelets)
The amount of sodium benzoate in these gels is extremely low, so even if it turns to benzene, it’s likely less exposure than would happen if you would breathe next to a gas station.
Thanks for your comment, Mackenzie. I appreciate you sharing here. I think the concern is that it could mix with vitamin C (as that’s an important part of our children’s diets, and it’s found in many foods) and potentially turn into benzene. Plus, form one source I listed, it looks like, in its original form, it can cause other unwanted health issues. I agree that there’s probably little risk of this happening as most parents aren’t going to be using tons of teething gel on their babies, I do think it’s a potential risk that parents should be aware of.