Safety Risks of Baltic Amber Teething Necklaces and Similar Cultural Practices?

Discussion Amber is fossilized tree resin that is prized for its beautiful colors from deep brown to caramel, yellow, green or even white. It is promoted for its “healing properties” although there is not scientific evidence that supports the many potentiated mechanisms of these properties. One of the most consistent is that amber contains succinic acid which proponents believe is absorbed through the skin and is a pain reliever. Succinic acid was actually first purified from amber in 1546 by a German chemist. Succinic acid in humans is an important part of the Krebs cycle and acts as an important metabolite in several metabolic pathways including hypoxia, tumorigenesis, superoxide radicals and in inflammation. Elevated succinate occurs in various disease states including hypertension, inflammatory bowel disease and type 2 diabetes in animal models and bacteria. Even with increased amounts of succinic acid in an amber teething necklace, the amount that would be have to be released, then absorbed through the skin (which is difficult) and then make it through the circulatory system to potential mediators of dental inflammation is certainly not a therapeutic amount. Amber necklaces may not even be amber as plastic, glass, phenolic resins and copal are easily substituted and passed off as real amber. Real amber is relatively expensive and many items on the market that claim to be amber are not. Teething occurs usually from 6-30 months with the eruption of 20 primary ...
Source: PediatricEducation.org - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: news