The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday issued a warning to parents, caregivers and health care providers about the dangers of teething jewelry after a baby was strangled to death by his teething necklace during a nap.
Teething jewelry is typically used to relieve teething pain in infants, and it's sometimes used as a sensory stimulant for individuals on the autism spectrum, people with special needs and those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
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According to the agency, teething jewelry has become increasingly popular despite the fact that the pieces can pose serious risks for injury or death in children. Some of the dangers listed by the FDA include choking, injury to the mouth, strangulation and infection.
“Consumers should consider following the American Academy of Pediatrics’ recommendations of alternative ways for treating teething pain, such as rubbing inflamed gums with a clean finger or using a teething ring made of firm rubber," said FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb.
In addition to teething jewelry, the FDA advised against "teething creams, benzocaine gels, sprays, ointments, solutions and lozenges for mouth and gum pain."