Top 10 Best Teething Toys for Babies in 2020 (Infantino, Nuby, and More)

We've found the best infant teething toys available on Amazon in a variety of different colors, styles, and sizes. No matter your baby's needs and preferences, you're sure to find the perfect option here!

Online shopping can leave you feeling overwhelmed and bombarded with options. As you begin your search, consider the information in this guide to help point you in the right direction!

Teething toys are available in several different styles, all of which offer a wide range of developmental benefits. It’s important to explore a variety of diverse options to find what will work best for your tiny explorer.

There is a wide range of traditional infant teethers available from an endless list of quality manufacturers. These teethers are typically best suited for younger infants who have just begun the teething process.

Traditional teething toys come in a variety of shapes and sizes and feature a host of colors and textures to provide infants with an engaging sensory experience. Some can even be put in the refrigerator or freezer for enhanced soothing and pain relief!

Most traditional teethers incorporate various bristles, studs, and grooves that can help promote infant gum health and accelerate the eruption of milk teeth (also known as baby teeth). Some options are even designed to provide the benefits of a starter toothbrush for infants whose teeth have fully erupted.

There are also hybrid teethers that provide multi-sensory stimulation by combining familiar toys, like a rattle or play keys, with texturized teething surfaces. Some of these hybrids also feature various types of fabrics and textures to encourage and enhance tactile exploration.

Hybrid-style teethers can be a beneficial sensory resource for infants of all ages, from before the first tooth eruption to well after teeth have fully arrived, if needed.

Teething toys are a great way to provide infants with interactive multi-sensory stimulation by exposing them to a variety of colors, textures, and sounds. This stimulation provides the building blocks to a wide range of milestones later in infancy and throughout childhood, making it an essential piece of the developmental puzzle.

Teethers can also be an effective way to help support infant eye development and visual perception. Exposing your baby to as many different colors and tones as possible in their first year is essential in helping foster healthy visual development. 

When selecting a teething toy, be sure to consider color-rich options that feature a diverse palette with rich, vibrant tones to attract and keep your baby’s attention. Other options also incorporate other forms of stimulation; some teethers feature components that produce a rattling or clacking sound to enhance the sensory experience.

Product quality is often largely dependent on the type of materials used. Selecting teething toys made from safe, high-grade materials can help ensure the product’s quality and safety.

Silicone is a synthetic polymer composed primarily of the naturally-occurring chemical element Silicon. It can be produced in many forms, from gels and oils to certain types of resins and adhesives. 

Food-grade silicone is both hypoallergenic and bacteria-resistant, making it an ideal material for use in the production of children’s products, especially those intended for infants and toddlers.

While silicone is by far the most commonly used material in infant teething toys, it’s important to note that it may not be suitable for all infants. While uncommon, some children may be sensitive or even allergic to silicone and other similar materials.

Polyvinyl Chloride (or PVC) is a synthetic plastic polymer used in a wide range of everyday products, from household water pipes to debit and credit cards. In its flexible form, PVC is also used in a variety of children’s products and toys that contain plastic components. 

Not only is PVC plastic an exceptionally durable material, but it’s also food-grade, making it a safe option for teething infants. While PVC plastic is made from fossil fuels, it is also highly recyclable. Products made with PVC plastic can be recycled and reused up to seven times in their lifetime, making PVC an environmentally-friendly material.

It’s important to note that while PVC plastic is a relatively safe option, it's still a highly synthetic material made from chemical-based compounds and may not be suitable for all infants. 

Some manufacturers offer teething toys free of PVC plastic to cater to children who may be sensitive or allergic to the materials commonly used in the production of certain plastics.

Thermoplastic Polyurethane (or TPU) and Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (or EVA) are commonly used as alternatives to PVC plastic in items for infants and children. This is due to their reduced chemical exposure during the production process, especially in comparison to PVC materials.

Bisphenol A (or BPA) is a chemical compound used in the production of a wide variety of plastic products, from food storage containers to sports equipment. In the last decade, a great deal of research has been conducted into the effects of BPA on brain development.

These studies have shown that exposure to products containing BPA can interfere with human brain development, making products containing the chemical potentially harmful to infants, children, and expectant mothers.

While most products intended for infants and children no longer contain BPA, it is important to note that it is not a banned chemical, so some children’s items may still contain BPA. To limit your child’s exposure to potentially harmful chemicals, it’s important to ensure all products intended for infants and children are BPA-free.

When conducting your search, researching available product warranty and care options can help narrow down the products that best fit the needs and preferences of both you and your child.

When selecting any product intended for infants, quality is always a high priority. The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) ensures the safety and durability of a wide range of products intended for infants and toddlers.

In most cases, manufacturers are required to have children’s products tested by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) before making them available to the public. Once a product passes this extensive testing, a manufacturer can then advertise their product as “CPSIA-Certified.”

It can also be beneficial to choose manufacturers that back their products with a money-back guarantee or warranty to further ensure product quality.

It’s important to pay close attention to the manufacturer’s listed care instructions to ensure the safety and longevity of your baby’s new teether. 

While some options can be conveniently cleaned in a dishwasher, others may have strict instructions that prohibit any other cleaning method than handwashing with gentle soap or sanitation by boiling.

If you're looking for more high-quality products for infants, be sure to check out these great resources!

Teething toys are a fun and engaging way to help ease your baby’s gum pain while providing them with interactive sensory stimulation! As you begin your search for the perfect teething toy, start by exploring various teether styles to determine what will best meet your child’s needs.

Consider each product's features, like sensory diversity and color variation, to help support your baby’s development. It’s also important to choose options that are made from high-grade materials that are free of potentially harmful chemicals. And may we wish little teethers everywhere happy chomping!

Author: Emily Molder

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