When do babies start teething?

Babies start teething at around 4 to 6 months old. The bottom two front teeth generally come in first, followed by the top two front teeth. Teething pain may start before you see any teeth in your baby's mouth, but you may notice that the gums are swollen where the new tooth will soon erupt.

How long do teethers last?

The lifespan of your baby's teethers depends on what they are made of and how often your baby chews on them. When you see visible signs of damage on the toy, it's time to replace it. Broken teethers are a choking hazard. Make sure you buy teethers made of firm wood, rubber, or silicone than do not break easily.

How do you clean baby teethers?

To keep teethers clean, soak them in a mixture of warm water, baking soda, and white vinegar for about 10 minutes before giving them a scrub and a rinse. You can also wash them with gentle soap and water. Avoid using harsh chemicals like bleach on toys that will go into your baby's mouth. Some teethers are dishwasher-safe.

What age do babies start using teethers?

Babies can start using teethers as early as 3 months, when their emerging teeth begin to cause discomfort. It's fine to offer your baby a teether before you are even sure whether they are teething. It can start as a toy for gripping and your baby will begin to gnaw on it when they realize it soothes their gums.

Can you freeze baby teethers?

Freezing baby teethers is not recommended. This can make them too hard for your baby's mouth, which may be harmful. Instead, look for a teether with different textures on its surface so your little one can find the part to chew on that helps the most.

The 11 Best Baby Teethers of 2023

Baby teethers make the teething process a little more bearable for both babies and parents. While there isn't a way to speed up the process, the best teethers come in a variety of options that work with your baby's age, tooth shape, and more. Baby teethers make a great addition to a baby registry.

When shopping for baby teethers you should make sure it's durable, made from safe materials (think BPA- and PVC-free), and has appealing features to intrigue your baby (think colors, rattle sounds, and shapes). A teether with different textures is also a great option, as this will help stimulate their gums to relieve pain. We researched popular teethers from trusted brands with these features in mind.

Here are the best baby teethers to help your little one through the teething process more comfortably.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall:

Nuby 3 Step Soothing Teether Set at Amazon

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Best Natural:

Loulou LOLLIPOP Silicone and Wood Bubble Teething Ring at Babylist.com

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Best Budget:

Comotomo Silicone Baby Teether at Amazon

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Best Multipurpose:

Baby Banana Infant Toothbrush at Amazon

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Best Feeder:

Boon Pulp Silicone Feeder 2-pack at Walmart

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Best for Molars:

Green Sprouts Molar Teether at Amazon

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Best Multi-Texture:

Nuby Chewy Charms Silicone Teether at Amazon

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Best Smooth Texture:

Vulli Sophie La Girafe Teething Toy at Amazon

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Best Grooved Texture:

Loulou Lollipop Rainbow Teether at Louloulollipop.com

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Best for Early Teethers:

Itzy Ritzy Silicone Teething Mitt at Amazon

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In This Article

Our Picks
What to Look For
FAQ
Why Trust Verywell Family

4.8

Amazon

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This three-piece set from Nuby is our top pick because of the versatility it offers your little one. As your baby cuts more and different teeth, what they need to soothe the pain might differ with each stage. As you work to determine what teether works best for your baby, pediatrician Whitney Casares, MD, MPH, says parents should “look for safe, durable products free of BPA and phthalates or any choking hazards.”

One product that checks all of the boxes and will comfort your baby from their first teeth through their molars is the Nuby 3 Stage Teether Set. It comes with three different teethers, the first (stage one) is silicone and designed for the baby’s front teeth and has a handle that can be comfortably held by little hands.

The second stage teether is for middle teeth and is also made of silicone but is a little thicker and less flexible than the first. It can still be held by little hands but offers several different teething textures like wavy, smooth, and bumpy, so your baby can use whatever works best for them.

Finally, the third teether is designed to soothe all teeth but can be angled to reach the molars as they come in. It is a little harder than the stage one and two teethers but is still shaped for little hands to hold and offers several textures for soothing. This three-piece set can be put into the freezer for a little extra chill and is safe for babies ages 3 months and up.

Price at time of publish: $11

Loulou Lollipop

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This teether is adorable and effective for teething babies between 3 and 24 months old. The silicone beads provide a smooth texture individually but will also provide a little bit of a wavy feeling if your baby chews on two at a time. The beechwood rings are safe for your baby to chew on and give a little bit of a rougher texture to massage your baby’s sore gums. The rubber beads are food-grade silicone, and the beechwood rings are conditioned with organic olive oil and beeswax. The entire product is free of harsh chemicals like lead and cadmium, as well as BPA, phthalates, and PVC. One important note, these should not be put in the dishwasher for sanitizing.

Price at time of publish: $25

Amazon

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If you’re looking to get a lot of bang for your buck, the Cosmotomo Silicone Baby Teether is for you (after all, babies need a lot of things, so saving money where you can is ideal). The ring’s design allows little hands to easily hold it, and babies 6 months and up can chew on it to soothe their front teeth. It also has little nubs that were carefully created to mimic the size of baby fingers, so they don’t pose a choking hazard, can reach all the way back to molars, and also have different textures to massage sore baby gums. You can easily wipe this teether down after your baby’s dirty hands cover it in grime (there’s no getting around that) but don’t toss it into the dishwasher.

Price at time of publish: $7

Amazon

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According to the American Dental Association, “as soon as teeth appear, decay can occur." The organization suggests that parents “start brushing their [baby’s] teeth as soon as they begin to come into the mouth.” Since teething babies won’t let you touch their gums, let alone brush their new teeth, having a teether that doubles as a toothbrush is a huge plus.

The Baby Banana Infant Toothbrush is safe for babies from 3 to 12 months old and is designed to be easily held by tiny baby hands and has soft silicone brush bristles that massage sore gums and get kids used to brushing.

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry suggests parents start brushing their baby’s teeth with a child-safe toothpaste twice a day as soon as the teeth pop out. So just add a tiny smear of your favorite toothpaste to the banana, and you’re covered! Even better, when you’re not brushing baby’s teeth, the banana can be used as a teether as is or after chilling in the freezer to provide even more comfort. The entire product is made from silicone, is free of BPA, phthalates, and latex, and is dishwasher safe.

Price at time of publish: $8

Walmart

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If your baby isn’t quite ready to move from purees to solids, you can use an infant feeder to introduce different flavors without having to worry about choking hazards. Feeders are especially great for foods like bananas because they slowly release food through tiny holes and allow your baby to get used to tasting and digesting solids. Even better, some feeders are also designed to relieve teething pain.

The Boon PULP Silicone Teething Feeder is the best there is because it’s easy for babies to hold (which helps teach them how to feed themselves), is made from soft silicone that’s free of BPA and PVC, and even comes with a cover to put over the feeder so you can take it on the go. The best way to use it as a feeder is to put chilled or frozen food into it so it numbs the gums while also releasing yummy flavors. This teether/feeder is safe for babies 6 months old and up and is top-rack dishwasher safe.

Price at time of publish: $13

Amazon

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Adults have a hard time reaching their molars with their own toothbrushes, so it takes a special teether to reach molars in babies. The green sprouts Molar Teether is designed to reach a baby’s molars (without the risk of choking them). It’s made from BPA and PVC-free silicone, which means it’s soft, flexible, and safe for the dishwasher. While the teether can also be used for front and middle teeth, thanks to the multiple textures along the teether’s handle, it’s only safe for babies between 12 and 36 months old.

Price at time of publish: $8

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If you’re just entering the teething phases, Dr. Casares recommends “looking for teethers with a variety of textures” to find out what works for your baby. “Some babies prefer bumpy textures while others enjoy flat or grooved options,” she explains. It’s impossible to just know what your baby will like, and it’s not fun to spend a lot of money on different teethers trying to find out, so the Nuby Chewy Charms Teether is a great way to find out what your little one prefers before you invest in something a little more personalized.

This teether is safe for babies 3 months old and up and has three interconnected charms, all of which are made from BPA-free silicone, that have various textures like flat, wavy, ridged, and different variations of bumpy. Each charm is a different color and shape, so you can easily identify which one your baby gravitates to more often before zeroing in on which texture on the individual charm they seem to like. Then, you can look for teethers that are designed with that texture. The silicone makes each charm soft, and they are easy to wipe clean and dishwasher safe.

Price at time of publish: $9

Amazon

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Sophie the Giraffe is the teether that seems to be on every baby registry, and for good reason, because it’s one of the best. It’s safe for your baby to play with and chew on between birth and 12 months. While it has some shallow grooves here and there, this teether is mostly soft and smooth around all of its edges to provide your baby relief without poking at their gums. It is made from natural latex rubber and food-grade paint. It is also BPA-free, designed for baby to easily grasp, and even has a squeaker to help keep your little one entertained (and develop fine motor skills).

Price at time of publish: $27

Loulou Lollipop

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The Loulou LOLLIPOP Rainbow Teether is perfect for a baby who gravitates toward flat, grooved, soft textures. The striped side of the teether has wavy grooves, and the back has small raised hearts, both of which have just enough texture to provide a gentle massage but not so much that it will hurt a baby with very sensitive gums. The teether is best for babies between 3 and 36 months old, is made from silicone, and needs to be hand-washed.

Price at time of publish: $14

Amazon

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Every baby is different, and some end up teething so early they can’t even firmly hold on to a teething ring yet. The Itzy Ritzy Silicone Teething Mitt is perfect for these babies because it is safe for little ones 3 months old and up, fits over the hand like a glove, and has a Velcro closure at the wrist, so it stays put.

The glove itself is made from a crinkly fabric to entertain your baby and help them as they explore different textures with their hands. At the top of the mitt, there is a non-toxic BPA and PVC-free silicone teether (available in various shapes, all of which are adorable) that is soft and flexible and has multiple textures for massaging and relief. Since it’s a glove, saliva can definitely build up in the crinkle-cloth mitten portion of the teether, but you can toss it into the washing machine on cold and let it air dry to be good as new.

Price at time of publish: $9

Amazon

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Even a baby with the tightest grip has the tendency to toss toys on the ground when they’re playing with them and, if you’re out and about, it can result in lost toys. Going out with a fussy teething baby is tough as it is, let alone without a teether for them to chew on for relief. The Skip Hop Bandana Buddies Teether Stroller is designed to soothe sore gums and attach to the stroller, so you don’t risk losing it.

You can hook this to the stroller as soon as your baby is born because it’s safe for newborns and up. It has a variety of different cloth textures for a developing baby to explore, a chime sound, and a BPA-free plastic teether with different textures to touch (and to massage their little gums). It’s a great way to keep your baby distracted and comfortable while you’re running errands, but be sure to regularly wipe it clean because it’s not safe for the washing machine.

Price at time of publish: $7

Final Verdict

For the baby with no texture preference who just wants to feel better, our top overall pick is the Nuby 3 Step Soothing Teether Set (view at Amazon) because the single purchase will last throughout your baby’s teething journey. If your baby is just starting to teethe and you have no idea what will provide the most relief, the Nuby Chewy Charms Teether (view at Amazon) is a great way to find out because even if you’ve purchased more teethers with the texture they love, they can still use the charm they like.

What to Look for in Baby Teething Toys

Appealing for Your Baby

Your little one may be struggling with teething pain but unsure how to use the teether to ease it. Finding a teething toy that they are attracted to can help. Babies may want to explore toys with contrasting colors or with faces on them. Interesting shapes or rattles that make fun noises when shaken will also grab their attention.

Non-Toxic Materials

Babies put everything in their mouths, and with teething toys, that's the whole point. Make sure that teethers are made from materials that are safe for your baby to gnaw on throughout the day. Plastics should be free of polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Avoid non-branded toys or toys that are shipped internationally, as you may not be able to trust the labeling.

Durability

Teething toys should be built to last. Your baby benefits from having something to chew on as they cut a total of 20 teeth over a period of about a year. In addition, a teething toy could be a choking hazard if it breaks or wears out. To make sure your teether is sturdy enough, look for toys that are marketed specifically for teething.

Frequently Asked Questions

When do babies start teething?

Babies start teething at around 4 to 6 months old. The bottom two front teeth generally come in first, followed by the top two front teeth. Teething pain may start before you see any teeth in your baby's mouth, but you may notice that the gums are swollen where the new tooth will soon erupt.
How long do teethers last?

The lifespan of your baby's teethers depends on what they are made of and how often your baby chews on them. When you see visible signs of damage on the toy, it's time to replace it. Broken teethers are a choking hazard. Make sure you buy teethers made of firm wood, rubber, or silicone than do not break easily.
How do you clean baby teethers?

To keep teethers clean, soak them in a mixture of warm water, baking soda, and white vinegar for about 10 minutes before giving them a scrub and a rinse. You can also wash them with gentle soap and water. Avoid using harsh chemicals like bleach on toys that will go into your baby's mouth. Some teethers are dishwasher-safe.
What age do babies start using teethers?

Babies can start using teethers as early as 3 months, when their emerging teeth begin to cause discomfort. It's fine to offer your baby a teether before you are even sure whether they are teething. It can start as a toy for gripping and your baby will begin to gnaw on it when they realize it soothes their gums.
Can you freeze baby teethers?

Freezing baby teethers is not recommended. This can make them too hard for your baby's mouth, which may be harmful. Instead, look for a teether with different textures on its surface so your little one can find the part to chew on that helps the most.

Learn More: Why Do Babies Like Teethers?

Why Trust Verywell Family

Ashley Ziegler is a staff and freelance writer who covers lifestyle, home, parenting, and commerce content for a variety of platforms. She’s a wife to a public school administrator, mom to a 1-year-old daughter (who is currently teething), and a 3-year-old daughter. In addition to regularly scouring the internet to find the best things for herself, Ashley spends multiple hours a week researching, comparing, and writing about products specifically for kids and families.