Amber Teething Necklaces Don't Work (and Can Be Dangerous)

Amber teething necklaces, which are used to relieve pain in teething and colicky babies, have become more and more popular over the last several years. When my daughter was born seven years ago, they were already starting to pick up speed, and by the time my nine-month-old son was dealing with teething, it seemed like everyone was pushing them on me. With so many moms and dads recommending amber teething necklaces, it seems like they must work fairly well, but the fact is that these supposedly pain-relieving crystals don't work and they might actually be dangerous.

Advocates for amber teething necklaces (consisting almost entirely of people who sell them for profit) claim that the necklaces reduce teething pain because of a compound called succinic acid, which one retailer touts can "helps fight toxic free radicals, helps improve the immune system, and reduces stress." Baltic amber, which is a fossilized tree resin and is generally the form used in teething necklaces, does contain succinic acid, but there's not much validity to claims about its medicinal effects.

There's no reason to believe that succinic acid in amber can absorb through a baby's skin, because it is a compound built into a solid crystal that is literally rock-hard and does not excrete oil or any other kind of fluid. The melting point for amber is far above the body temperature of even the most fevered baby, so expecting it to seep into the baby's skin is no wiser than putting an iron rod under his pillow and expecting it to treat anemia. Human babies don't magically absorb medicine or nutrients in ways that contradict physics.

Even if succinic acid in amber teething necklaces did absorb through skin, there's no evidence that it works. Succinic acid is found in many foods and plants; it's abundant in nature and nontoxic. While a little succinic acid might be theoretically harmless, there's no reason to think it works to treat teething pain. There hasn't been a single study of the use of succinic acid or Baltic amber to relieve pain, improve the immune system, or reduce stress. One very small study in 2003 suggested that large amounts of oral succinic acid might reduce anxiety in mice being exposed to dangerously high temperatures, but it's quite a leap to assume that the same findings could be applied to teething human children.

Finally, there's a lot of reason to suspect that amber teething necklaces could be dangerous. A report in Pediatrics in Review notes that amber necklaces are among many traditional treatments that have no evidence to back them and could in fact prove very dangerous. They have popped up several times in the media because of children choking and strangling while using these little charms. Although advocates of amber teething necklaces note that they are supposed to be used with supervision and should never be chewed or sucked, it's a risk that I wouldn't be willing to take for a treatment that is very unlikely to work.

For my family, amber teething necklaces are a no-go and we'll stick with safer, more effective methods for relieving teething pain. I don't want to subject my children to something that could be dangerous (not to mention expensive) unless there's a good reason to think that it will work. If you're concerned about your baby's stress or discomfort from teething, get in touch with his pediatrician for tips on relieving the pain safely and effectively.

How Homeopathic Teething Tablets Work

I spent much of my early career working in stores that sold natural health products, including supplements and medicinal herbs. Among our top-selling products were always homeopathic remedies, and none were sold at a higher volume than teething tablets for cranky babies. Hyland's Teething Tablets, in particular, seemed to be the favorite of every exhausted parent. They would grab a bottle and, rubbing their eyes sleepily, proclaim, "I don't know how they work, but they do."

I knew that the placebo effect and confirmation bias were powerful forces, but I was taken aback by just how many people swore by a product that so clearly doesn't work. Study after study after study has confirmed that homeopathic remedies (which should not be confused with herbal supplements) are no more effective than a placebo for treating any disease or condition. These little concoctions, which are sold in the form of lactose or sucrose "sugar pills," admittedly contain no active ingredients, just the metaphysical "essence" of natural compounds. It is biologically and physically impossible for a homeopathic remedy like teething tablets to work more effectively than a placebo.

Of course, there's no way to convince parents of that, when they've witnessed firsthand how quickly homeopathic teething tablets work for their children. Many a parent has given a homeopathic teething tablet to a colicky or teething baby and immediately seen the baby stop crying and fall peacefully asleep. It's no secret that a three-month-old baby knows nothing about medicine and has no expectations, so of course we can't attribute the apparent success to the placebo effect. So just how do homeopathic teething tablets work?

The secret, in this case, is in the placebo itself. Homeopathic teething tablets are made in a sweet-tasting base of lactose or sucrose, which makes them palatable and also enables them to dissolve instantly on contact with a baby's saliva. In general, we consider placebos, and "sugar pills" in particular, to be completely inert, but sugar is actually a very powerful medicine for little babies.

Sugar is one of the most potent pain relievers for babies under one year of age, especially in the sensitive newborn stage. Many hospitals use sugar, with strong evidence that it works, to help ease the pain of circumcision, newborn injections, injuries, and other discomforts experienced by babies in hospital settings. You may have heard your own parents or grandparents recommend honey (which is off-limits because of botulism) or even soda as a home remedy for colic or teething. Babies given sugar quickly feel calmed and experience much less pain than they feel without it.

So, ultimately, homeopathic teething tablets do work, but they don't work in the way that many parents assume. They work to the same degree that a tiny amount of sugar would work, by using sweetness to help a baby feel calm and at ease. They don't contain any medicinally active compounds that could work in any way beyond sugary tablets themselves.

Save yourself the money (and avoid falling for a scam) by using tiny amounts of sugar-water in lieu of homeopathic teething tablets as your own home remedy for colic or teething pain. Although it's not a good idea to give your baby sugar, especially in large amounts, there's no harm in giving tiny, occasional dose of safe, sterilized sugar with your doctor's approval, when all medicine-free and sugar-free treatments have failed. Of course, always check with your baby's pediatrician before using any home remedy to treat colic or teething. A little expert advice can go a very long way and might help you get a good night's sleep without needing to resort to sweet flavors.