Best Teething Toys in Australia: What Works and What's Safe

The best teething toy is the one your baby will actually keep in their mouth, and that is also safe to be there. This guide covers how to choose a teether in Australia: the materials worth buying, the shapes that suit each age, what to avoid, and how to keep them clean. If you're still working out whether your baby is teething at all, start with our teething guide.

Quick Answers

What is the best teething toy for babies?
A firm teether made from food-grade silicone or natural wood, in a shape small hands can grip and that can't reach the back of the throat. It should come with a clear age label and be easy to clean.

When can a baby use a teething toy?
Babies often start mouthing from around 3 to 4 months, and teething usually begins around 6 months. A teether is suitable once your baby can hold and mouth objects. Check the age label on the product.

Are wooden or silicone teethers better?
Both work. Silicone is soft, flexible and easy to wash. Wood is firm, natural and long-lasting, but needs wiping rather than soaking. Many teethers combine both materials.

Should I freeze a teether?
Chill it in the fridge instead. A fully frozen teether can be hard enough to bruise sore gums.

What Makes a Good Teething Toy?

A teething toy has one job: give sore gums something firm and safe to push against. Everything else is a bonus. Here is what to look for:

• Safe materials. Food-grade silicone, sustainably sourced wood, or a combination. Look for BPA-free, and check the maker's information on any coloured or finished wood. Avoid anything with paint or varnish that can chip
• One solid piece. No small parts that can come off, and no joins or cracks where moisture can collect
• A shape babies can hold. Rings, balls and wheels with a wide, easy-to-grip frame suit small hands. They also stop the toy going too far back in the mouth
• Mixed textures. Bumps, ridges and different surfaces give gums different kinds of pressure
• Easy to clean. You'll be washing it constantly
• A clear age label. Always check it, and follow the manufacturer's care instructions

Silicone vs Wood vs Fabric: Which Material?

Types of Teething Toys

Teething rings and wheels

The classic. A wide ring or wheel is easy to hold and difficult to swallow. Multi-surface designs give different textures to explore.

Teething balls

A lightweight ball with holes or ridges is easy for small hands to grasp and pass from hand to hand. It also builds grip and coordination.

Wooden teethers

A firm wooden shape, often with a silicone element, for babies who like a harder chew.

Feeder-style teethers

A mesh or silicone feeder lets babies who've started solids chew chilled fruit or frozen breast milk. It's a nice option from around 6 months.

Teething mitts and fabric toys

Soft options for the earliest mouthing stage. They're for comfort rather than hard chewing.

Our Teething Toy Picks

These are the teethers we stock now. Stock is limited, since we're a small business, so if a colour is sold out, check back or take a look at the other options.

Why Babies Mouth Everything

Mouthing isn't only about teething. The mouth is packed with nerve endings, so for a young baby it's the main way to explore shape, texture and temperature. That's why a baby will chew on a teether, a wooden spoon and the corner of a book with equal enthusiasm. A good teething toy gives that exploration a safe target. It's also why many Montessori-inspired play sets include a teether alongside rattles and grasping toys. Our Montessori for babies guide explains the thinking behind it.

Cold Relief Without a Special Toy

You don't need to buy anything to offer cold comfort. A clean, damp washcloth chilled in the fridge works for many babies. For babies already eating solids, a silicone feeder with chilled (not frozen-solid) fruit gives them something to work on and a taste of food at the same time. Always stay with your baby while they chew, and see our teething guide for the full list of safe relief methods.

Teether Troubleshooting

• Baby won't take the teether. Try a different texture or temperature. Some babies prefer firm wood, others soft silicone, others a chilled cloth
• Baby keeps dropping it. That's a game, and also how they learn cause and effect. A clip is fine while you're right there, and a second teether means one is always clean
• Baby gags on it. A bit of gagging is common when babies explore their mouth, but if the toy goes too far back, it's the wrong shape. Choose a wider frame and stop if you're worried
• The teether smells or looks worn. Replace it. Wear and cracks are the signs to bin it

A Quick Buying Checklist

• Food-grade silicone or natural wood, with BPA-free confirmed
• One solid piece with no small parts
• An easy-grip shape that can't go too far into the mouth
• A clear age label and care instructions
• Easy to wash and dry

How to Use a Teether Safely

• Check it before every use. Throw it out if it is cracked, split or sticky
• Supervise your baby whenever they're chewing
• Never tie a teether around the neck. Use a short clip only while you're present
• Chill it in the fridge, not the freezer
• Keep teethers out of the sleep space. A teether is for awake time

What to Avoid

• Amber teething necklaces. The ACCC has warned they can break into small parts, creating a choking and strangulation risk. See our teething guide for the details
• Teething gels with benzocaine. Not approved for use in young children in Australia
• Liquid-filled teethers. They can leak or split. Check the manufacturer's advice if you choose one
• Hard foods as teethers. Raw carrot sticks and similar foods are a choking risk for young babies
• Anything with small parts that could detach. Use the toilet roll tube test: if a toy or a piece of it fits through, it's too small

How to Clean a Teething Toy

Teethers go in the mouth, on the floor and back in the mouth, so cleaning matters. Wash silicone teethers in warm soapy water, or follow the manufacturer's advice if the product is dishwasher-safe. Wipe wooden teethers with a damp cloth rather than soaking them, and let them dry fully. Always follow the care label that comes with your product. Having two teethers lets you swap one in while the other is being washed.

How to Introduce a Teether

• Offer it when baby is calm and awake, not in the middle of a meltdown
• Let them explore it in their own time. Hand it over, don't push it into the mouth
• Try it chilled, since some babies prefer cold
• Demonstrate. Touch it to your own mouth and smile
• If they refuse, try again a few days later or try a different texture

Drool, Bibs and Skin

Teething babies drool a lot, which means wet clothes and sometimes a sore chin or chest. Wipe often with a soft cloth, change wet tops, and use a bib that catches the drool. A silicone bib like the Mini & Me Bib ($14.99) is quick to wipe clean. If skin looks red, ask your pharmacist or child health nurse about a gentle barrier cream.

Five Teether Buying Mistakes

• Buying on looks alone. It still has to be grippable, washable and the right size
• Buying too many. Two or three are enough
• Ignoring the age label. Some teethers suit older babies only
• Buying liquid-filled or gel-filled. They can leak or split, so check the maker's advice first
• Forgetting the care instructions. A teether you can't wash properly won't last

Teething Gift Ideas

• Under $20: a single teether, such as the silicone ball ($17.99) or wooden teether ($18.87)
• Under $60: a teether plus a swaddle (from $29.95) for a newborn or infant gift
• A larger gift: a build-your-own newborn gift set with a teether, a knitted toy and a swaddle

Which Teether for Which Age?

3 to 5 months

Baby is starting to mouth and grab. Choose a light, soft, easy-grip teether, and supervise.

6 to 8 months

The first teeth arrive. A firmer silicone or wooden teether helps, and a feeder opens up chilled fruit for babies who've started solids.

9 to 12 months

Babies are crawling and pulling up, so a teether that clips to something is handy while you're nearby. Textured balls and wheels are good for passing from hand to hand.

12 months and up

First molars can be the most uncomfortable. Offer a firm teether and cold foods suited to their age.

Teething Toys as Gifts

A teether is an easy, useful gift because it's small, inexpensive and welcome at almost any age from three months. At under $20, it's a good add-on to a newborn gift set or a baby shower gift. Pair it with a swaddle for a gift under $60.

Frequently Asked Questions

Safety information is general guidance and not medical advice. Always follow the age label and care instructions on your product, and speak to your GP, dentist or child health nurse about your baby's needs. Tiny Moments Co is an Australian-owned small business. Prices current as of October 2026.