Error: This is required. Error: Not a valid value. Parents have always been eager to find ways to relieve teething discomfort for their babies and small children. An amber bead teething necklace is a string of round amber chips the child wears around their neck.
The amber forms from fossilised tree resin which is shaped into rounded, small beads threaded onto a piece of string or cord. Amber bead anklets and bracelets are also available, although necklaces are the most popular.
The beads come in a range of colours, from white to yellow and from beige to brown. Amber bead necklaces are made for children who are teething or showing signs of teething. The recommended age varies between manufacturers although they generally say there are benefits in wearing them between 4 months and 3 years of age. But it can be very hard to soothe a crying baby who seems miserable because of teething pain. Gums can be swollen, red and sore as teeth erupt, and until they emerge through the gum margin, the only way to help the baby is to alleviate the symptoms.
These are some of the reasons why amber bead necklaces have become so popular. Therefore, it was concluded that the purchased amber teething necklaces were made from Baltic amber as advertised.
Infrared spectrum of teething necklaces. HPLC analysis of amber beads dissolved in sulfuric acid Fig. In contrast, light-coloured beads that were submerged in octanol fragmented into shards Fig. This is equivalent to 0. The standard curve was linear with an R 2 of 0. Inter-day precision was 2. It was concluded that amber beads contain succinic acid, but are unlikely to release succinic acid from whole beads in contexts relevant to the physiological conditions of human skin layers.
HPLC analysis of amber bead extract and succinic acid. Incubation of amber beads under various biologically relevant conditions.
Bead supernatants were periodically collected and succinic acid content was analysed by HPLC. Ibuprofen and paracetamol had no consistent effects on the release of any studied cytokines w hen tested on THP-1 cells stimulated with LPS Fig. Ibuprofen caused a strong inhibition of PGE2 release, and paracetamol had a weak but significant effect Fig.
The effects of succinic acid and anti-inflammatory drugs on inflammatory cytokine production. Results are presented on a scale that is normalised against results for LPS-only cells. The effects of succinic acid and anti-inflammatory drugs on PGE2 production. Culture supernatant concentrations of PGE2 from macrophages treated with hydrocortisone a , ibuprofen b , paracetamol c or succinic acid d. Succinic acid demonstrated no consistent reduction in the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines Fig.
However, the buffer in the culture media was unable to maintain the normal pH range of 6. This environment is highly toxic to cells and was most likely causing apoptosis of the THP-1 cells. Therefore, it was concluded that succinic acid demonstrated no anti-inflammatory properties at physiologically tolerable concentrations. Inflammation is a major contributing factor to pain and discomfort associated with teething, as evidenced by the widespread usage of conventional anti-inflammatory or analgesic drugs, such as ibuprofen and paracetamol, in helping to relieve teething pain.
Baltic amber teething necklaces have been marketed as an alternative to these pharmacological methods, and putting aside mystical or pseudoscientific claims, the main proposal for a mechanism of action relies on the amber beads being of Baltic origin and containing succinic acid, that the succinic acid can be absorbed from the beads through the skin and this results in anti-inflammatory activity.
The current research addresses these claims in a scientific manner for the first time. We addressed claims of the identity of the amber beads by infrared spectroscopy of crushed beads. Our analysis indicated that the infrared spectrum of crushed beads visually matched published Baltic amber infrared spectra [ 17 , 24 ].
Our findings are limited by the lack of direct comparison with samples of confirmed provenance, or with samples of fake amber, or amber of non-Baltic origin. Furthermore, additional techniques could be applied e.
FT-Raman Spectroscopy [ 25 ] to further interrogate the identity of the amber beads in this study. However, FT-IR is a standard and current technique used to identify Baltic amber [ 24 ], and based on the investigations that we have conducted, we did not find any reason to dispute the identity of the amber teething necklaces as being genuine Baltic amber. We measured 1. Extraction in acidified acetonitrile, described as mild conditions and so therefore partial extraction, produced only 0.
As we did not further investigate the presence of succinate complexes in our extract, we may not have obtained a true total succinic acid content for our beads. However, our measurement of significant quantities of succinic acid aligns with our finding that the beads are Baltic amber.
A tiny amount of succinic acid was detected only in the supernatant of the light-coloured beads that had spontaneously fragmented into shards. Based on our measurement of 1. In Baltic amber only 0. The lack of release of succinic acid from intact beads is a consequence of the majority of it being covalently bonded to other chemicals via ester bonds and playing an integral part of the fossil resin structure [ 9 ]. Despite finding no evidence that succinic acid would feasibly be released from amber teething necklaces to be available for absorption via the skin, the anti-inflammatory potential of succinic acid was investigated using LPS-stimulated human macrophages.
Treating cells with various concentrations of succinic acid revealed no consistent anti-inflammatory effects until very high concentrations were used. While no previous evidence of succinic acid affecting inflammatory cytokine production exists, succinic acid has been shown to reduce the function of human leukocytes, specifically neutrophils.
The inhibitory effects of hydrocortisone on these cytokines have been widely reported [ 32 , 33 ]. Additionally, previous literature suggests that neither ibuprofen nor paracetamol have consistent inhibitory effects on these specific cytokines [ 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 ], which is supported by the current research.
Analgesia and anti-inflammatory properties of ibuprofen is carried out through other means, namely working as COX inhibitors. Therefore we also investigated the potential of succinic acid as a COX inhibitor by measuring prostaglandin release from macrophages.
Ibuprofen displayed strong inhibition of PGE2 synthesis, and paracetamol caused a weak but significant inhibition across the concentration range tested, which is consistent with previous findings regarding these drugs [ 23 ].
In our hands hydrocortisone did not inhibit PGE2 release, which is inconsistent with previous research regarding the effects of glucocorticoids on prostaglandin synthesis [ 22 ]. Succinic acid did not cause any consistent reduction in PGE2 release, and thereby cannot replicate the effects of other analgesics on either inflammatory cytokines or other common inflammatory molecules.
To summarise, the current research demonstrated that the purchased amber teething necklaces are genuine Baltic amber, and do contain succinic acid. However, succinic acid could not feasibly be released from intact beads in order to be absorbed through the skin, nor would succinic acid carry out anti-inflammatory effects via the inflammatory mediators tested here even if it was absorbed.
The testing undertaken here is not exhaustive, and further study could consider other cell types, such as dendritic cells, which may be more receptive to succinic acid stimulation [ 41 ] than the macrophages used herein. Further study could also consider whether other relevant bioactive chemicals could leach out of amber beads and be absorbed through the skin.
However, based on these results, we can find no evidence to suggest that the succinic acid component of Baltic amber is likely to provide any anti-inflammatory effects that could be useful in treating teething symptoms. Holistic Baby. Natural ideas, options and diet reccomendations. Log in here. Thanks, but no thanks. No, thanks I'm already a PureWow fan. No, thanks I hate pretty things. But do they actually work? Why amber necklaces? When a baby wears the necklace, his or her body heat then releases this magical chemical from the gemstone and gets absorbed into the skin, thereby easing their pain.
And do amber necklaces actually work? Nope, sorry. In fact, putting one of these necklaces on your kid could actually do more harm than good. How so? Babies love putting things into their mouths pacifiers, toes, dog food, basically anything within reach , which means that a beaded necklace poses a serious choking hazard.
Not to mention that a string around the neck could also cause strangulation, which is why the American Academy of Pediatrics advises against infants wearing any jewelry at all.
Bottom line: Give these amber teething necklaces a miss. Try offering a chewable toy like Sophie the giraffe that will gently massage the gums the added pressure also distracts from the pain. Sign up to receive free emails and track your baby's development. Join now. Most popular in Baby.
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