Those ridiculous amber necklaces...

[moxon]

...that all babies seem to be wearing these days. No, people, it does not help with teething pain/inflammation/positioning. It's just pieces of amber. You would need to heat it to extract the oil which you can use to make your baby smell like the inside of a potpourri bowl after using as a massage liquid base if you want, but it still won't do jack to give your baby a carefree pearly whites experience. I am getting so tired of everyone buying into this new-age old-age rubbish, and seeing otherwise perfectly reasonable parents stringing up their babies necks in gimicky stuff.

"And Hakluyt, I guess you can't explain chicken/egg"

I don't understand the question.

And, more to the point, if you think they work by releasing succinic acid, which most people who believe in them do, why are you happy with your child being exposed to continuous unknown dosages of a "chemical"? Wouldn't you want any product that goes into you child's system to be properly tested and checked for potential side effects?

Chicken/egg is in relation to your confident assertion that nothing is beyond explanation. And yes, you are quite right re:testing, but given the harmful additives, sweeteners etc. that are deemed safe and shoved into people's systems despite side effects, I'll take my chance with a bit of amber, something that has been worn for thousands of years. Then there are car fumes, radiation, mobile phone signals, dodgy plastics...

So because there is a famous circular argument about which came first, the chicken of the egg, then I am wrong to say that anything can be explained or will the future explained?

No, still don't understand.

Traditional. Like bacon.

still working on business model

but given the harmful additives, sweeteners etc. that are deemed safe and shoved into people's systems despite side effects, I'll take my chance with a bit of amber, something that has been worn for thousands of years

Kinda like lead, and cinnabar (mercury), right. . I just love using my cinnabar rouge stick to redden my cheeks and my lead pimple stick to whiten my nose. Perfectly healthy and utterly traditional. Been used for thousands of years by those in the know!
Just saying that just because something has been worn for thousands of years doesn't mean make it safe. (And, to repeat, as as sideline, when you heat amber to the needed temp to release the s-acid those selling this as medicine purport will magic away the teething issues, it'll definitely be unsafe too... ).

The Argument from Antiquity.

leedy filthiest Amending tagline:
Traditional Bac-o-teethe! I dunno about all this science stuff, I just know it works!

We need to dig into some archives and find out if the Romans used bacon on their teething sprogs. But even if we don't, hey! Who needs evidence!

My parents used biltong as a teething remendy for me. Can you make pork biltong I wonder?

Ah velo - it is a good point. The salt will relieve pain from small infections and the chewiness will relieve itchiness. However, bac-o-teethe is NOT designed to be used in the mouth. Its magical properties only work when worn in amulet form around the neck, ankle or as an ear-piercing, so that the healing powers can seep into the skin and make their own way, subcutaneously, towards the gums (it can in some circumstances also be rubbed onto the chest or bumcheeck areas). This is tres important. So no chewing on anything now!

Thought the 'thousands of years' argument would tempt you.
You fell into my trap

So depressing the way people delight in ignorance.

Trap?

I've just science bombed my local fb sling page. They all love amber apparently.

saggy Is science bombing basically what it says on the tin?

My mum used gin for teething. Not sure if she gave it to me or drank it herself.

I hadn't seen / noticed this latest fashion being forced upon kids until yesterday. A small toddler, playing in the bark chipping (and tasting those for teething relief, they're trees, would that work ;-) ) was wearing one. It looked as ridiculous as any jewellery would look on a child.

It seems to be particularly prevalent in BF and/or sling groups, along with various other woo (homeopathy, cranial wotsit, "alternatives" to vaccination). Which, as an "extended" BF mum myself really pisses me off. WE'RE NOT ALL LIKE THAT! I BELIEVE IN SCIENCE!

hm, what's more likely - that a thing that scientifically cannot have any effect actually works; or that it was just a coincidence that teething problems finally stopped some time after the teething child started wearing a necklace?

I have one for my son, no idea if it helps teething, I just think it looked quite nice. Did see a family the other day who were all wearing matching ones and thought that was a tad too much

Meh, I think they are marketing genius.

I want to invent something like that and make millions from guillible people.

I missed out with those balance arm band things, now amber. Need the next big thing....

Please see upthread for my bac-o-teethe bacon based teething solution! We are always looking for new enthusiasts to market our brand.

Then there are car fumes, radiation, mobile phone signals, dodgy plastics...

Life expectancy has increased substantially over the past thirty to forty years, co-inciding with increases in each of those things. Life expectancy has increased most in developed countries with lots of cars, mobile phones, etc.

Teehee duh
aussiemum - traditional bac-o-teethe...