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The Problem Starts the Moment Baby Puts It in Their Mouth
Babies chew on teething toys for hours a day — sometimes for months. That sustained, direct oral contact is exactly what makes material choice matter more here than in almost any other baby product category. A teething toy is not just held; it is gnawed, sucked, and soaked in saliva. If the material contains chemicals that migrate out under those conditions, your baby is being exposed to them continuously.
Soft plastic teethers are the category most worth scrutinizing. Many are made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which on its own would be rigid and brittle — so manufacturers add phthalates to make it soft and flexible. Phthalates do not bond chemically to the plastic they are added to. They are simply mixed in, which means they can leach out over time, especially when the toy is heated, mouthed, or physically stressed. Infants and toddlers who mouth toys are the highest-exposure group for this type of chemical migration.
The concern is not theoretical. A 2013 study published in the National Library of Medicine found that baby teethers labeled as “non-toxic” still contained toxic chemicals, and a high percentage were mislabeled as BPA-free when they were not. A separate 2021 study by the Technical University of Denmark, published in Environment International, identified 126 out of 419 chemicals found in plastic toys as posing potential hazards. The pattern that emerges from the research is consistent: what is printed on the packaging does not always reflect what is actually in the product.
The Specific Chemicals to Know About
Three categories of chemicals come up repeatedly in safety research on plastic teethers, and understanding what each one does helps explain why the concern is not just precautionary.
Phthalates are plasticizers added to PVC and similar materials to give them flexibility. They are classified as endocrine disruptors — meaning they can interfere with the body’s hormonal system. Research has linked phthalate exposure to developmental and hormonal issues in infants. A 2018 study in Environmental Health Perspectives found a connection between phthalate exposure and neurodevelopmental issues in children. In most infants studied, seven or more phthalate metabolites were detectable above the limit of detection, suggesting that exposure is widespread even before accounting for teething toys specifically.
Since 2018, several phthalates have been banned from children’s toys in the United States. But the bans are not complete, enforcement varies globally, and secondhand or imported toys may still contain them. A strong plastic or chemical smell from a soft toy can indicate off-gassing — a sign that the material may be leaching compounds.
BPA (Bisphenol A) is used to harden clear, rigid plastics. The FDA banned BPA from baby bottles and children’s drinking cups in 2012, but teethers were not included in that ban. This left a gap that many brands filled voluntarily with “BPA-free” labeling — but without a regulatory mandate to actually test for it. A study found that a high percentage of teethers were mislabeled as BPA-free when testing showed otherwise. Research from the NIH has found that BPA exposure can affect brain development and behavior in infants and young children. Products marked with recycling codes 3 or 7 are the most likely to contain BPA or phthalates and are best avoided.
Heavy metals including lead and cadmium appear in some plastic toys as stabilizers or colorants. Lead affects the nervous system and has been linked to hearing loss, lower IQ, and developmental delays in children. Cadmium is a known carcinogen that can also interfere with normal brain development and cause kidney damage. U.S. regulations set limits on lead in surface coatings, but those limits are not zero — and children absorb and retain lead more easily than adults do.
One additional complication: labels that say “natural,” “non-toxic,” or “hypoallergenic” are not legally defined or regulated by the FDA. They offer no guarantee of safety on their own.
Why “BPA-Free” Is Not the Whole Answer
The “BPA-free” label became widespread after the 2012 FDA ban on BPA in bottles and cups, and many parents treat it as a reliable safety signal. But the label addresses only one chemical in a much larger family of concern. Plastics and vinyl can still contain other bisphenols, parabens, and additional endocrine-disrupting compounds even when BPA has been removed.
The issue is structural. Plastic is not a single material — it is a category that includes dozens of different polymer types, each with its own additive profile. When one chemical is removed under regulatory pressure, manufacturers sometimes substitute a chemically similar compound that has not yet been studied or regulated. This substitution pattern means that “BPA-free” plastic can still carry risks that are not yet well characterized.
For parents trying to make safe choices, this creates a genuine problem. Reading labels carefully is still worthwhile — looking for products that are explicitly BPA-free, phthalate-free, PVC-free, lead-free, and cadmium-free, and that carry third-party certifications like CPSC or CPSIA compliance. But the safest approach is to avoid soft plastics altogether for teething specifically, and choose materials that do not carry this class of risk in the first place.
Food-Grade Silicone: What Makes It Different
Food-grade silicone is not plastic, even though it looks and feels similar. It is a synthetic polymer made from silica — a natural compound derived from sand — and its molecular structure is fundamentally different from PVC or polycarbonate. Because it is chemically inert, it does not react with food, saliva, or liquids, and does not leach BPA, phthalates, PVC, or other harmful chemicals under normal use conditions.
Silicone’s stability holds up under conditions that would stress conventional plastics. It remains stable when chilled in a freezer, heated in a dishwasher, or boiled for sterilization — none of which cause it to break down or release compounds. Its flexibility comes from its polymer structure rather than from added plasticizers, so there is no phthalate equivalent lurking in the material.
For teething specifically, food-grade silicone has practical advantages beyond chemistry. It is soft enough to be gentle on inflamed gums but firm enough to provide the counterpressure that helps relieve teething discomfort. Its non-porous surface resists bacterial and mold growth, which matters a great deal when a toy is constantly wet with saliva. And it can be sterilized repeatedly without degrading.
Not all silicone is equivalent, though. Industrial silicone is not appropriate for baby products. Even within food-grade silicone, quality varies: lower-grade versions may have a sticky surface, an unusual smell, or signs of incomplete curing — none of which you want near a baby’s mouth. Platinum-cured silicone is generally considered the highest-purity option, preferred for baby products because the curing process leaves fewer residual compounds than peroxide curing.
Regulatory agencies including Health Canada, the Australian Departments of Environment and Health, and the EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety have all conducted risk assessments on silicone and concluded that there is no risk to human health from silicone material when used appropriately.
Loulou Lollipop’s silicone teethers are made from 100% food-grade silicone, free of BPA, PVC, phthalates, lead, and cadmium. The brand uses water-based, food-safe inks that are injected into the silicone rather than applied on the surface — a detail that matters because surface coatings are where heavy metals most commonly appear in painted toys. Their teether collection includes single teethers, teething rings, teething mitts, and sets, all designed with the same material standards.
Other Safe Alternatives Worth Knowing
Beechwood teethers are a solid option for parents who prefer natural materials. Solid, unfinished beechwood contains no BPA, phthalates, or synthetic chemicals, and it has naturally antimicrobial properties. The main considerations are finish (look for food-safe oils like beeswax or coconut oil rather than paint or lacquer) and construction (avoid teethers with small attached beads or parts that could detach and become a choking hazard).
Natural rubber is another alternative, made from renewable rubber trees and free from synthetic chemical additives. It tends to be less durable than silicone over time and may lose elasticity with regular use. Parents with a family history of latex allergies should approach natural rubber with caution.
Cotton and fabric teethers are better understood as comfort objects than functional teethers. They lack the firmness that provides gum relief, and they hold moisture in a way that can support bacterial and mold growth — pathogenic microorganisms can survive for extended periods on wet cotton fabrics. They are harder to sterilize than silicone and generally less hygienic in the context of constant drool.
The practical takeaway: for a teething toy that will spend significant time in a baby’s mouth, food-grade silicone covers the most bases — chemical safety, physical durability, ease of cleaning, and gum-soothing effectiveness. Wood is a reasonable secondary choice if the finish is verified safe and the construction is solid. Soft plastics, regardless of what their labels say, introduce a category of risk that is simply not present with these alternatives.
What to Check Before You Buy
When evaluating any teething toy, a few specific checks are worth making:
Material disclosure: The product should explicitly state the material — “100% food-grade silicone” or “100% food-grade platinum-cured silicone” rather than just “silicone” or “BPA-free plastic.”
Chemical certifications: Look for products explicitly labeled free of BPA, PVC, phthalates, lead, and cadmium. Third-party testing documentation from a recognized lab is more reliable than self-reported claims.
Recycling codes on plastic: If a product is plastic, avoid codes 3 (PVC) and 7 (polycarbonate and other plastics that may contain BPA). Code 5 (polypropylene) is generally considered the safest plastic option, though it still carries more risk than silicone or wood.
Smell test: High-quality food-grade silicone has no odor. A strong chemical or plastic smell from any teething toy — silicone or otherwise — is a red flag for off-gassing or low-quality materials.
Construction: One-piece molded designs reduce the risk of small parts detaching. Avoid liquid-filled teethers, which can leak if punctured, and any teether with detachable beads or components.
Provenance: Products from regions with weaker regulatory oversight carry higher risk of containing chemicals that are banned in the U.S. or EU. Buying from brands that publish third-party test results reduces this uncertainty considerably.
Teething is a stage that lasts months, not days. The toy your baby chews on every day for that stretch is worth choosing with the same attention you would give to what they eat.