About Chew Toys
Filed under: Baby Gear, Baby Health, Baby Safety, Baby Toys, Teething
All babies go through a phase when their first teeth come in, and, as this is new and unfamiliar, the baby will probably feel pain from this experience. This is why chew toys, also known as teething toys, were created. Regardless of the shape of a chew toy, chewing on the hard, plastic surface helps exercise the baby’s gums and relieves some of the pressure from the soreness of the new teeth. Many plastic teething toys can also be frozen, and the coolness aids with soothing the soreness from the new teeth. Some teething toys can be stuck in the freezer for a few minutes, while others have cooling fluid inside.
The general shape of a chew toy is a ring, and in many cases, multiple rings are added. Some teething toys aren’t ring shaped but have something for the baby to grab onto, and many current popular teething toys are shaped like animals. These rubber animals can be frozen and, when taken out of the freezer, the surface of the toy will be cool and hard for the baby to chew on. When looking for teething toys, any shape is fine, as long as the baby is able to grasp onto it.
Other factors need to be taken into consideration when looking for a teething toy. Although rings and rubber animals are popular, the chew toy shouldn’t have any loose pieces – and this applies to all baby toys, not just teething toys. Many teething toys can be put in the freezer to be cool, but some toys are filled with a cooling gel, much like a cooling pack. If you’re interested in one of these toys, check to make sure that the cooling gel inside the toy is non-toxic and that the toy doesn’t have a surface that can be punctured.