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Most babies breeze through teething without any issues in their first year. That’s when incisors, cuspids, and their first molars cut through. They might drool more than usual and show signs of slight discomfort. They’ll chew on clothing, their fingers, and just about anything that they get their hands on.
It’s worse when the second molars (also called two-year molars) start to come in. These rear molars cut through with considerable pain. Some babies become slightly flushed though rarely do they get a high-grade fever. This makes babies particularly cranky at night when they’re exhausted and focused on their discomfort.
To provide relief, you can get your toddler a teether. It works by massaging the gums and diverting your child’s attention away from the pain. Good teethers for molars are firm, textured, and chewy. They are made from silicone, rubber or plastic and should be tough enough to withstand gnawing and sanitizing.
 |  |  |  | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Comotomo Silicone Baby Teether | Baby Banana Sharky Infant Toothbrush and Teether | Nuby Silicone TeeThe-EEZ Teether with Bristles | Bright Starts Chill & Teethe Teething Toy |
| Material | 100% silicone | 100% silicone | 100% silicone | Plastic |
| Specified baby’s age, months | 6 months and older | Up to 24 months | 3 months and older | 3 months and older |
| Food-grade | ✓ | ✓ | Not stated | ✓ |
| BPA-free | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Phthalates-free | ✓ | ✓ | Not stated | ✓ |
| Dimensions | 3.23” x 2.44” x 2.44” | 4.5" x 2" x 1.5" | 1.5” x 6.5” x 4.1” | 3” x 0.80” x 3” |
| One solid molded piece | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✖ |
| Our review | Review | Review | Review | Review |
| Where to buy |
Choosing a Safe Teether for Molars
Here are some tips to help you in your search for the perfect teether for your baby.
- The right size – small teethers pose a choking hazard to babies, so choose a good-sized teether to discourage swallowing.
- Age-appropriate –choose teethers that are appropriate to your child’s age.
- Free from BPA and phthalates – beware of these two industrial chemicals because they are harmful to humans yet commonly added to plastic products to increase flexibility.
- Food grade – you wouldn’t want your baby munching and sucking on something that could be toxic, so make sure that you get a teether that’s food grade.
- Chewy but tough – it should be highly pliable and not chip off easily.
- Single solid piece – avoid teethers with small attached parts, such as beads, that can come off or become loose.
Best Teethers for Molars – Our Top 4 Picks
Here are our top 4 picks for molar baby teethers. This list will save you the trouble of poring over thousands of user reviews. We see great value in studying feedback from verified buyers, so we’ve included their experiences in the pros and cons of each product. Hopefully, this will help you make a smart decision.
1. Comotomo Silicone Baby Teether
- Material: 100% silicone
- Specified baby’s age, months: 6 months and older
- Food-grade: ✓
- BPA-free: ✓
- Phthalates-free: ✓
- Dimensions: 3.23” x 2.44” x 2.44”
- One solid molded piece: ✓
This silicone teether from Comotomo was inspired by little fingers—nature’s original teethers. It has an easy-to-grab circular handle with four poking prongs that are long enough to reach your baby’s back molars but not cause gagging. Each finger-like prong has a textured tip that stimulates the gums and relieves pain.
- Easy for babies to grasp and bite – its multiple points are perfect for babies who have not yet mastered their motor skills.
- Prongs are long – just like fingers, these protrusions are long enough to access the back molars.
- Easy to clean – unlike bristle-type teethers which trap dirt between the tight spaces, this is relatively easy to keep clean.
- Safe from choking risks – its size and design reduce choking hazards and make it safe for babies to use.
- Microwave-safe – not all teethers are microwavable, but this one is.
- Sticky when wet – like other silicone teethers, it becomes sticky when wet and picks up dirt fast.
- Can become tacky – it develops a tacky feel with constant sanitizing. You have to inspect it every now and again and replace it when you see signs of wearing off.
- Can get babies poked in the eye – very young babies have clumsy hands and may poke their eyes and face with this pronged teether.
- It’s lacking in texture – the teether is almost smooth all over except for the few nubs on the tips. Future product improvement should include more prominent nubs.
- Too many prongs – four poking prongs plus a handle can easily add to a baby’s frustration, says a parent.
2. Baby Banana Sharky Infant Toothbrush and Teether
- Material: 100% silicone
- Specified baby’s age, months: Up to 24 months
- Food-grade: ✓
- BPA-free: ✓
- Phthalates-free: ✓
- Dimensions: 4.5″ x 2″ x 1.5″
- One solid molded piece: ✓
Baby Banana combines two functions into one in their Sharky Infant Toothbrush and Teether product. This teether cum training toothbrush disguises as a blue shark with chunky teeth, which are the toothbrush bristles. Kids will love this, no doubt.
- Gum-massaging feature – the shark’s teeth are designed for massaging gums and training a baby to use a toothbrush.
- Low choking risks – the flare of the shark’s fins prevents the chew toy from going too far down into a baby’s mouth or getting swallowed.
- Has looped fins – two of the tail fins have loops for babies to grab. You may also use these loops to attach the teether to your baby’s bib or clothing.
- Dishwasher-safe – sanitizing is simple because it does not require special cleaning procedures. You may put it in the washer with the dishes or sterilize it in a pot of boiling water with the baby’s bottles.
- Freezer-friendly – it’s safe to place in the freezer or refrigerator. A cold teether can help to numb the pain in your baby’s mouth.
- Certified by Bureau Veritas Safety – it has passed the health and safety standards of Bureau Veritas Safety.
- Attracts fine particles – the bristles and the wet silicone surface tend to draw hair, fur, dust, and lint towards it.
- Bristles can get bitten off – constant chewing can weaken the bristles. Always inspect the toy for missing or worn parts.
- May become sticky after a while – frequent sterilizing and boiling makes the material tacky.
- The tail loops are not easy to grab – they are too far down for a baby to grab quickly and with ease. A possible improvement would be to incorporate loops to Sharky’s pectoral fins as well.
- Not suitable for older babies – only younger babies with no teeth should use this. Older babies can bite the bristles off and swallow the pieces. If training older babies to brush their teeth, an adult should always be present to supervise.
3. Nuby Silicone TeeThe-EEZ Teether with Bristles
- Material: 100% silicone
- Specified baby’s age, months: 3 months and older
- Food-grade: Not stated
- BPA-free: ✓
- Phthalates-free: Not stated
- Dimensions: 1.5” x 6.5” x 4.1”
- One solid molded piece: ✓
This blue silicone teething ring features multiple surface textures and bristles for massaging gums. It is soft and has a loop for little hands to grip. Dirt and dust are a real concern when it comes to teethers, so the carrying case that this Nuby comes with is a useful bonus.
- Durable – the one-piece construction makes this teether resilient and hard-wearing.
- Flexible – it is gentle to delicate gums.
- Multiple textures – the bristles and textured surface ease the eruption of new teeth.
- Comes with a carrying case – the case keeps this chew toy more hygienic than others and makes it the choice teether to bring along during trips.
- Easy to clean – you can wash it in the dishwasher, hand-wash with soap and water, or sterilize in boiling water.
- Can be refrigerated – it’s safe to keep in the freezer or refrigerator for cooling.
- Bristles are thin – unlike the short and thick bristles of Baby Banana’s Sharky teether, Nuby’s bristles are long and quite slim.
- Does not stay cold or frozen for long – even if you freeze it, it will warm up to room temperature after a few minutes.
- Has an odd smell and taste – initially, it will have a plastic smell and odd taste. It disappears after several washes, so you should wash it several times before giving it to your baby.
- Dust, lint, and dirt cling to it pretty quick – when wet, it becomes a magnet for specks and flecks. This is the downside of silicone chew toys and means that you need to wash them constantly.
- The top part is too flexible and may cause choking – the wide top part is too flexible that it’s easy for a baby to fold it in half and push it deep into his/her throat. When that part unfolds, it would be difficult to pull and might even cause the baby to choke or gag.
4. Bright Starts Chill & Teethe Teething Toy
- Material: Plastic
- Specified baby’s age, months: 3 months and older
- Food-grade: ✓
- BPA-free: ✓
- Phthalates-free: ✓
- Dimensions: 3” x 0.80” x 3”
- One solid molded piece: ✖
Bright Starts’ Chill & Teethe plastic chew toys have a clear advantage over silicone teethers. When placed in the freezer for a few hours, they don’t overly harden as silicones do. Instead, they are firm to the bite yet cool and gentle to delicate gums. They have a long numbing effect.
- Offers variety – one set contains three assorted teether rings. This variety will keep babies interested for a long time. Also, there’s always a backup when the one in use needs cleaning or replacing.
- Stays cold longer than silicone – it offers a soothing effect for a long period.
- Intuitive design – its design is quite simple for babies to figure out.
- Easy to grasp – the shape and loop style of each teether is easy for little fingers to grab.
- Thick bumpy patterns – the teether’s surface has thick and bold bumps to massage the baby’s gums better.
- Not as tacky as silicones – when wet, they don’t attract particles as much as silicone teethers do.
- Difficult to sterilize – since it is made of plastic, it will melt when sterilized or boiled.
- Thin plastic – babies may be able to puncture the thin plastic with teeth bites and cause the contained water to leak.
- Babies can cut a hole through the hollow plastic material – the plastic material is soft, so it may be possible for babies to bite through it and swallow plastic pieces and liquid in the process.
- Quite small – they could be improved by increasing their size a little to prevent swallowing. Also, small-sized teethers are easy to lose.
- Some edges are not smooth – rough edges can hurt a baby’s gums and lips.
Conclusion
Help your babies feel less miserable by taking the pain out of teething. Our top four picks include silicone, rubber, and plastic alternatives in case your baby reacts to a particular material. Below are a few reminders to guide you as you pick a product to buy.
- Most manufacturers will warn you to “not freeze” their products. This does not mean that freezing will affect the performance of these teethers. Silicone, rubber, and plastic are quite resilient to freezing. The reason for this warning is that frozen teethers can cause frostbites or bruises to your baby’s lips and gums and damage their teeth. If you have to put a teether in the freezer, don’t wait till it has become rock hard. If it has, thaw it first to a chilled state before giving it to your baby. If you are worried about freezing, try putting the teether it in the refrigerator instead.
- Never leave a baby alone with his/her teether.
- Always inspect the “appropriate for” mark on a product and check out its size to make sure that it is suitable for your baby’s age.
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