![Sophie the Giraffe with baby](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/05/Sophie_the_Giraffe_with_baby.jpg)
A teether, teething toy, or chew toy is a device given to
teething
Teething is the process by which an infant's first teeth (the deciduous teeth, often called "baby teeth" or "milk teeth") appear by emerging through the gums, typically arriving in pairs. The mandibular central incisors are the first primary te ...
infants. Most modern teethers are silicone, but can also be made of wood or rubber. Some teethers are filled with a fluid or gel that can be frozen or refrigerated. They differ from
pacifiers
A pacifier is a rubber, plastic, or silicone nipple substitute given to an infant to suckle upon between feedings to quiet its distress by satisfying the need to suck when it does not need to eat. Pacifiers normally have three parts: an elonga ...
in that they are intended to be chewed, rather than sucked on. They come in a variety of different shapes. Teethers may help relieve teething pain and help new teeth penetrate the gum, as well as provide a form of entertainment. Teething necklaces and teething bracelets may pose a choking hazard to infants and toddlers depending on the teething parts, and have prompted recalls. Teethers filled with liquid have also been recalled because of bacterial contamination.
Early teethers were often teething rings.
![Teething Ring](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b0/Teething_Ring.jpg)
Teething biscuits, like
rusk
A rusk is a hard, dry biscuit or a twice-baked bread. It is sometimes used as a teether for babies. In some cultures, rusk is made of cake, rather than bread: this is sometimes referred to as cake rusk. In the UK, the name also refers to a whea ...
s and
ladyfingers, can also be given for teething.
References
Infancy
Teeth
Babycare
Rubber toys
Toy recalls
{{Toy-stub