Amber Teething Necklace

               Just pretty or actually work?

You may have heard of amber as a pain reliever but does it actually work to ease babies teething pain? I have used teething necklaces with my girls and found them to cut their teeth effortlessly. Was this because of the necklace or just coincidence? I have read various pages on forums suggesting the necklaces work and some that say the opposite. 

Amber is fossilized tree resin from ancient forests, and when in contact with warm skin releases healing oils with pain relieving and other therapeutic properties which are absorbed into the bloodstream. The amber is said to reduce inflammation caused by teething when worn close to the skin and promote a stronger immunity to common infection as well as assisting general well-being. These are a fantastic natural alternative for teething babies.
How do they work?  The active ingredient in amber is succinic acid which is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, and is known to stimulate neural system recovery and build the immune system, boost awareness, concentration and reflexes and reduce stress.

Recently at my local playgroup quite a few of the mums were looking at my baby and admiring her necklace without knowing it had a purpose other than making her look pretty. After a discussion with these mums one of them went away and purchased one for her daughter who was teething and dribbling almost constantly. Next week she came with baby sporting her new necklace, "she hasn't dribbled once thank-you for the suggestion on getting a necklace" This sparked another discussion on the necklaces and if they actually work. 

Today is playgroup day and whilst waiting in the foyer another mum came up to me "I cant believe it, I've brought one and i haven't used teething gel once! she has stopped dribbling and is so happy" she too had got a necklace for her daughter "I was skeptical but thought hey what have I got to loose? and if it doesn't work I can always send Tammy the bill!"

So we have started a bit of a trend in our local playgroup! but the question still remains, do they work or is it coincidence? 

Ill leave that for you to decide for yourself

Test Yours Out

1. Smell/Burn Test this is said to be the most reliable test. If you hold a flame to the amber necklace, it SHOULD give off a pleasant “pine-tree resin” smell if it is genuine. If it is a fake, it will either melt or give off a burnt plastic smell. If it is a glass fake, it will smell like nothing. (This is the method I tried below)
2. Rub Test is similar to the smell/burn test above, except you don’t use a flame to heat the Baltic stones, you use the heat from your hands. Simply rub the stones in your hand to see if they release that “pine-tree resin” smell. This test may be a little more difficult to perform. 
3. Hot Needle Test is another effective test that involves using a hot needle to once again evoke the “pine-tree resin” smell. Simply place a hot needle into an already drilled hole into the amber and see what happens. Obviously if you stick the needle into plastic or glass there will be no smell, and possible melting. Please be advised that this method may leave a slight burn mark where the needle was placed. Also note that the clasps are made of plastic and will burn if you stick the need in those. 
4. Salt Water Test is another easy way to test and see if your Amber is real. Amber will float in salt water, but be sure there is not metal that would weigh the necklace down and make it sink. Please note that Copal also floats too, so while your necklace might not be glass, this test is not totally foolproof. Use 1 part salt to 2 parts water and drop the necklace on it.

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