The Food and Drug Administration has issued a strong warning to not use teething tablets or gels.
The Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning for parents to not use teething tablets or teething gels to treat the discomfort and fussiness associated with teething.
The FDA warns that homeopathic teething tablets and gels pose significant risks to infants and children and recommends that consumers stop using these products immediately and dispose of any in their possession. Teething tablets and gels are distributed by CVS and Hyland’s and are sold in retail stores and online.
Teething tables and gels contain varying amounts of a drug called belladonna, which can cause sedation, hallucinations, seizures and even death.
So how should I comfort my children when they’re teething?
The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Family Physicians recommend refrigerated or frozen items because cold acts as an analgesic. Specifically, the AAP recommends refrigerated pacifiers, teething rings, frozen bagels and bananas as well as clean, wet refrigerated washcloths.
If medications are a must, Tylenol or Motrin may be safely used in doses appropriately adjusted for age and weight.
This is Dr. Jim for Be Healthy! Be Happy! urging you to throw out the teething tablets and gels, follow the advice of pediatricians and family doctors and power children’s paths to health and happiness.
References:
FDA warns against the use of homeopathic teething tablets and gels, 2016. Online [Available at]: http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm523468.htm
ScienceDirect, 2016. Belladonna, Online [Available at]: http://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/page/Atropa_belladonna
American Academy of Pediatrics, 2016. Children’s Oral Health, Online [Available at]: http://www2.aap.org/oralhealth/pact/ch2_sect5.cfm
American Academy of Family Physicians, 2016. A Practical Guide to Infant Oral Health, Online [Available at]: http://www.aafp.org/afp/2004/1201/p2113.html