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Guide

Are amber teething necklaces safe? Safer teethers and what to skip (2026)

Short answer: no. The FDA warns against teething necklaces and bracelets after reports of strangulation and choking, including a death, and the AAP doesn’t recommend infants wear any jewelry. Use a firm (not liquid-filled) teething ring, a chilled washcloth or a clean finger instead, and skip benzocaine and lidocaine gels.

By PickedBaby Editorial TeamLast updated

Recalls checked November 10, 2026 on CPSC. We searched CPSC recalls with “teeth”, “teething” and “pacifier” in the title announced since November 1, 2025 and found 12 teething-toy recalls, all for choking hazards. This guide names no teether to buy. Our recall-check policy.

How this page was made: this is a research-based guide built from official safety guidance (AAP/HealthyChildren.org, CPSC, NHTSA, FDA), federal safety standards and recall records, linked at the bottom of the page. We haven’t tested these products ourselves, and we don’t give scores. Our methodology.

Not medical advice. This page explains product safety guidance. For questions about your child’s health, feeding or development, ask your pediatrician.

Quick answer

Short answer: no. The FDA warns against teething necklaces and bracelets after reports of strangulation and choking, including a death, and the AAP doesn’t recommend infants wear any jewelry. Use a firm (not liquid-filled) teething ring, a chilled washcloth or a clean finger instead, and skip benzocaine and lidocaine gels.

Last updated Recalls checked 2026-11-10

Teething is uncomfortable but not dangerous; some popular teething products are. This page covers the jewelry warning, what the AAP[2][3][4] and FDA[1] suggest instead, and the recall pattern we found in 2026: more than ten “pull string” and Montessori-style teething toys recalled for choking.

Why are teething necklaces dangerous?

The FDA[1] says it has received reports of deaths and serious injuries to infants and children, including strangulation and choking, caused by teething jewelry such as amber teething necklaces. The AAP[2][3][4] says the risk is two-fold, strangulation and choking, and that it doesn’t recommend infants wear any jewelry. The AAP’s article describes an 18-month-old strangled by an amber necklace during a nap. If a family uses one anyway, the AAP’s minimum precautions are constant supervision and removing it for every sleep.

What should I use instead?

The FDA[1] suggests gently rubbing or massaging swollen gums with your finger, or giving a firm teether made of rubber that is not liquid-filled and not frozen solid, and supervising so your child doesn’t choke on it. The AAP[2][3][4] suggests a wet washcloth chilled in the freezer for 15 to 30 minutes, solid teething rings chilled in the fridge (removed before they get rock hard) or your clean finger, and says to clean teething items after each use. It notes liquid-filled rings have been recalled in the past.

Teething options (FDA; AAP; checked November 10, 2026)
OptionVerdict
Clean finger or gum massageFree; suggested by FDA and AAP
Chilled wet washclothFree; suggested by AAP
Solid one-piece rubber or silicone teething ringFine with supervision (FDA, AAP)
Liquid-filled teethersSkip (AAP notes past recalls)
Teething necklaces, bracelets, ankletsSkip (FDA warning)
Benzocaine or lidocaine gels; homeopathic tabletsSkip (FDA warning)

What about teething gels and tablets?

The FDA[1] says topical products with benzocaine or lidocaine offer little to no benefit for teething and carry serious risks; benzocaine can cause methemoglobinemia, a dangerous drop in the blood’s ability to carry oxygen, and prescription viscous lidocaine can cause seizures and other grave harm in young children. The FDA groups homeopathic teething tablets with these products. Ask your pediatrician before giving any medicine; this page isn’t medical advice.

Which teething toys were recalled recently?

Our CPSC[6][7][8] search found 12 teething-toy recalls between January and September 2026, all for choking. Most were “pull string” teething toys sold online (brands including Yetonamr, AiTuiTui, Tiyol, LiKee, GOPO Toys, Sili Factory, Little Rawr), plus Montessori-style toy sets, a CuddleCubs Creations set, HABA’s Rainbow Rattle (a glued knot could come undone, releasing small pieces) and Skip Hop’s Baby Sesame Street Elmo silicone teether (the eyes could detach when frozen). Prefer one-piece teethers with no cords, beads or attached small parts, and check the model on CPSC before buying.

Who should skip this, and what to skip

Every family can skip teething jewelry and numbing gels; most babies need nothing more than a clean finger or a chilled washcloth.

  • Amber, wood or silicone teething necklaces and bracelets: The FDA[1] warns of strangulation and choking deaths and injuries; the AAP[2][3][4] doesn’t recommend jewelry for infants.
  • Benzocaine and lidocaine teething gels: The FDA[1] says they offer little or no benefit and have serious, sometimes fatal, risks.
  • Pull-string and beaded teething toys: CPSC[6][7][8] recalled more than ten of them in 2026 for choking hazards.
  • Pacifier clips tied around the neck or to the crib: The AAP[2][3][4] says never tie a pacifier around a child’s neck or hand or to the crib.

Everything we tell parents to skip

The free or budget option

The two options both the FDA[1] and AAP[2][3][4] mention cost nothing: your clean finger and a chilled wet washcloth. If you buy a teether, a simple solid one-piece ring is enough.

Frequently asked questions

Do amber necklaces relieve teething pain?
Our sources give no evidence that they do. The FDA[1] warns against teething jewelry and suggests gum massage or a firm rubber teether instead.
Is a necklace okay if my baby wears it on the ankle?
The FDA[1] warns against teething jewelry in general. The AAP[2][3][4] doesn’t recommend jewelry for infants; if used anyway, it says to supervise and remove it for sleep.
Can I freeze a teething ring?
The FDA[1] says the teether shouldn’t be frozen, because a too-hard object can hurt gums; the AAP[2][3][4] suggests chilling and removing it before it is rock hard.
Are silicone teethers safe?
The AAP[2][3][4] says silicone and latex chewy toys may be a safer bet than plastic. Choose one-piece designs without cords or detachable parts and check recalls.
My baby has a fever while teething. Is that normal?
That’s a health question for your pediatrician; this page doesn’t give medical advice.

Sources

Safety guidance, standards and recall records come only from the official pages below, which we opened and read for this page. Retailer pages, if any, are used for price and specs only. This page lists no prices.

  1. FDA: Safely Soothing Teething Pain in Infants and Children, fetched Nov 10, 2026 (fda.gov)
  2. AAP (HealthyChildren.org): Teething Necklaces and Beads: A Caution for Parents, fetched Nov 10, 2026 (healthychildren.org)
  3. AAP (HealthyChildren.org): How to Help Teething Symptoms without Medications, fetched Nov 10, 2026 (healthychildren.org)
  4. AAP (HealthyChildren.org): Teething Pain Relief, fetched Nov 10, 2026 (healthychildren.org)
  5. AAP (HealthyChildren.org): Pacifier Safety, fetched Nov 10, 2026 (healthychildren.org)
  6. CPSC recall database query (SaferProducts.gov API): “teething” recalls since 2025-11-01, run Nov 10, 2026 (saferproducts.gov)
  7. CPSC recall database query (SaferProducts.gov API): “teeth” recalls since 2025-11-01, run Nov 10, 2026 (saferproducts.gov)
  8. CPSC: Recalls & Product Safety Warnings, fetched Nov 10, 2026 (cpsc.gov)
guide

Are water beads safe for kids? The 2026 federal rule and squishy-toy recalls

Short answer: no, not in a home with young children. CPSC urges parents to remove water beads from any environment with children, and the AAP says it is safest not to have them at home. Swallowed beads keep growing and can block the intestines, may not show on X-rays, and have killed at least one baby. A federal rule for water bead toys took effect March 12, 2026, but it doesn’t cover beads sold for vases or plants, or beads already in your home.

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Pacifiers and sleep: SIDS, safety rules and clips (2026)

Short answer: offer a pacifier at naps and bedtime. The AAP says pacifiers help reduce SIDS risk even if they fall out after your baby is asleep, and NIH says they help formula-fed babies especially. If you breastfeed, wait until breastfeeding is going well. Never tie or attach a pacifier to your baby, their clothes or the crib for sleep.

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Are baby walkers safe? Walkers vs activity centers vs jumpers (2026)

Short answer: no. The AAP says wheeled baby walkers are never safe, even with an adult close by, because a baby can move more than 3 feet in a second. It has called for a ban on their manufacture and sale. Walkers don’t help babies learn to walk and can delay it. A stationary activity center (no wheels), a play yard or floor time are safer.

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High-powered magnets and kids: why two swallowed magnets are an emergency (2026)

Short answer: the AAP urges families with children not to keep high-powered magnet sets at home. If two or more of these magnets are swallowed, they can pull together through the intestines with enough force to cause serious damage or death. If you think your child swallowed a magnet, call your pediatrician or go to the ER right away; surgery may be needed.

guide

Are teething gels and tablets safe? (2026)

Short answer: no. The FDA says topical teething medicines with benzocaine or lidocaine offer little to no benefit and carry serious risks: benzocaine can cause methemoglobinemia, a sometimes fatal drop in the blood’s ability to carry oxygen, and viscous lidocaine can cause seizures, heart problems and death. It also warns against homeopathic teething tablets. Rub gums with a clean finger, or offer a firm rubber teether that isn’t frozen solid.