Best baby teething toy: Soothe tiny gums and teeth
Baby teething toys are amazing tools that can both soothe and entertain your little ones – here are some of the best
Babies’ teeth usually start to appear around six months with gnawing, drooling and irritability all being tell-tell signs. For some babies, the appearance of pearly whites causes them no problems, while others seem to suffer with every single tooth. Luckily, the best baby teething toys can help.
You’ll often notice that your baby will want to chew on everything while they’re teething, and one of the ways you can help them is with a teething toy. The chewing and gnawing action help to reduce the discomfort in a baby’s gums while distracting them with fun colours, comforting textures, and playful designs.
There is a wide range of teething toys available on the market, from textured rings that you can pop in the fridge to larger toys made from natural rubber that are easy for baby to hold, and some that even come with sound effects. We’ve selected some of the best baby teething toys on the market to help you find the right one for your little one.
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Best baby teething toy: At a glance
- Best-value teething toy set: Infantino Baby’s 1st Teether and Play Music Set
- Best baby teething toy for when you’re out: Cheeky Chompers Neckerchew
- Best teething toy for small babies: Gummee Glove Teething Mitten
- Best teething toy under £10: Archer the Apple by Lamaze
How to choose the best baby teething toy for your baby
How much should I spend on a teething toy?
Teething toys are generally inexpensive, ranging from around £3 to £20. You don’t have to spend a lot to provide your baby with a bit of relief – just make sure you’re buying from a reputable brand that uses safe materials.
How do I know if a teething toy is safe?
As with all baby toys, it’s important to buy teethers from reputable retailers and brands. You should also look for accreditation such as the CE symbol, the UKCA mark and the BTHA Lion Mark and make sure that the teether doesn’t have any small parts attached to it which could pose a choking hazard. This will also ensure the teether is made from safe, non-toxic materials.
Don’t forget that you should never attach a teether to baby with anything that they could wrap around their neck, while teethers should always be used under supervision and never placed in a cot or space where baby sleeps.
How do I clean teething toys?
Baby teething toys are taken in and out of baby’s mouth, dropped on the floor and everything in between. As such, they should be cleaned regularly. The safest way to do this is by soaking them in warm water with a bit of washing-up liquid or distilled white vinegar. You can also pop them in a steriliser with bottles and pumping equipment to ensure all bacteria have been killed. For well-used teethers, try to do this every week.
Does freezing teething toys make them more effective?
Many parents put teething toys in the freezer as a way of providing extra comfort for baby’s gums, but this has actually been proven to be quite harmful to their teeth. Instead, look for teethers with lots of different textures so that your baby can experiment with what provides them the most comfort.
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The best baby teething toys to buy
1. Infantino Baby’s 1st Teether and Play Music Set: The best-value teething toy set
Price: £15 | Buy now from Amazon
This four-piece musical teething set provides a full sensory experience for baby with bright colours and a variety of soft teething textures. We loved that the set includes a range of instruments – including a trumpet, guitar, maraca, and tambourine – each free from BPA, phthalate and PVC.
Each teether also makes a great sound so makes a good distraction on days when baby is extra sensitive. It’s also great value at just under £15.
Key specs – Material: BPA, phthalate and PVC-free plastic; Cleaning: Hand wash only; Usage: Teethers and musical toys
2. Cheeky Chompers Neckerchew: The best baby teething toy for when you’re out
Price: £11 | Buy now from Amazon
One of the most annoying things about teething toys is that they get dropped from baby’s grasp quite often. While this isn’t too much of a problem when you’re in the safe environment of your own home, it’s a bit more of a problem when you’re out and about in the pram.
The Cheeky Chompers Neckerchew solves this problem as it attaches safely around baby’s neck, like a bib, but comes with a textured chewy end that they can gnaw on. This means no more lost teethers or worries about germs, and a slightly happier baby when doing everyday tasks like the food shop.
Key specs – Material: BPA and phthalate-free silicone; Cleaning: Machine washable; Usage: Teether and bib
3. Anita the Bananita by Oli & Carol: The best sustainable teething toy
Price: £11 | Buy now from Kidly
Oli & Carol are a fantastic company from Barcelona that focuses on toys that don’t cost the earth. Their range of teething toys are all handmade, simple and beautifully designed.
Anita is a perfect first teething toy: it’s easy to grab hold of for little hands, and could potentially double as an alternative dummy if your baby isn’t taking to pacifiers. The toy is made from hevea rubber that’s strong yet pliable, which makes it perfect for a little one’s mouth. The peels are also great as alternative places to suck on too.
And, if bananas are not your preference, other fruits and vegetables are available.
Key specs – Material: 100% hevea rubber; Cleaning: Hand wash only; Usage: Suitable as a teether and a bath toy
4. Gummee Glove Teething Mitten: The best teething toy for small babies
Price: £15 | Buy now from Amazon
This Gummee Glove Teething Mitten is a lifesaver on those days when baby seems really uncomfortable and ready to chew on everything and anything. It slips over their hand and secures with a small Velcro strap making it ideal for babies who aren’t yet ready to hold a traditional teething toy.
Baby can chew on the textured side tabs, as well as an optional food-grade silicone teething ring that you can secure in the top. It also comes with a cotton travel pouch for storage when not in use.
Key specs – Material: BPA and phthalate-free silicone and cotton; Cleaning: Machine washable; Usage: Glove worn by baby
5. Rainbow Teething Necklace: The best wearable teething toy
Price: £13 | Buy now from Amazon
Any parent who wears glasses will be used to little hands smudging lenses and hurling frames onto the floor. If you’re looking for a foolproof distraction, then this colourful necklace teething necklace could be just the thing.
The colourful shapes will appeal to fans of board games, with their striking resemblance to D20 dice, but they’re just plain fun for any parent – and for baby, too. The shapes offer exciting texture for a baby to grab on to and wrap their gums around, and they were an instant hit with our little tester who would light up when they saw these around Mum’s neck.
The shapes in this necklace are made from food-grade silicone, making them a great item for your little one to enjoy. It’s worth remembering though that this is an item that serves its purpose only when worn by an adult, as the necklace itself can become a strangulation risk if given to an unattended baby.
Key specs – Material: BPA-free silicone; Cleaning: Hand wash only; Usage: Suitable as a teether only when worn by an adult
6. Archer the Apple by Lamaze: Best teething toy under £10
Price: £7 | Buy now from Amazon
Lamaze makes fantastic toys for your little one that are always brimming with character. Archer the Apple is an enduring favourite of our little tester, and this cute little fruit can clip onto your car seat or stroller, allowing it to dangle enticingly within reach.
When your baby wants to get up close and personal, Archer unclips easily from its original home. Archer can also open, offering lots of little secrets for your little one to explore. Beneath, there is a selection of plastic rings that offer a great opportunity for little ones to exercise their gums.
Archer is a cute and highly versatile little friend that will surely accompany your little one through all sorts of adventures.
Key specs – Material: Soft fabric and plastic rings; Cleaning: Hand wash only; Usage: Can be clipped to a pram or car seat
7. Mizzie the Kangaroo: The best teething toy for older babies
Price: £15 | Buy now from John Lewis
For the most enthusiastic of chewers, we don’t think you can go wrong with Mizzie the Kangaroo. In a slightly larger size than many teethers, this 100% natural rubber toy is designed to soothe sore gums while also aiding baby’s sensory development with its bright orange colour, soft texture and squeaky sound. One of the elements that we also loved about this toy is its high standard of testing that meets safety standards in Australia, New Zealand, the US and Europe. This also ensures it’s free from PVC, BPA, nitrosamines, and phthalates.
Key specs – Material: Natural rubber; Cleaning: Hand wash only; Usage: Teether
8. Nattou Strawberry Teether: The best textured teething toy
Price: £17 | Buy now from Amazon
Not only does this silicone teether from Nattou look appealing with its duck and strawberry design, but it also has a range of different textures that your baby is sure to love trying out. Each component of the teether is made from a different coloured material and features contrasting shapes and colour to help develop baby’s senses. The small size of this teether also makes it ideal for grabbing on your way out and keeping in your baby bag, plus it can be easily wiped clean if it, inevitably, ends up on the floor.
Key specs – Material: BPA-free silicone; Cleaning: Hand wash only; Usage: Teether and rattle
