Looking for a natural product to help your baby with teething? Look past Hyland's, an over-the-counter teething tablet that the FDA recently labeled "toxic."
More: Attention new parents: FDA says to beware of these teething remedies
Hyland's Baby Teething Tablets, which are marketed as "natural relief... [for] pain and irritability from teething" may not contain any benzocaine or artificial flavors, but they do contain belladonna, also known as "deadly nightshade," also known as extremely poisonous. Belladonna is a natural treatment, for sure — it's been used for centuries a way to both anesthetize patients and assassinate enemies.
Most of us would agree that these days, there's no reason to take a risk with our child's health over something like teething, so how did this toxin end up in a product that was until recently sold in drugstores like Rite Aid and Walgreen's?
In a world full of pollutants, artificial everythings and freakish vegetable monsters like apples that don't turn brown, it's no wonder that a lot of people like to look for more natural options or that homeopathic remedies are now a multibillion-dollar market in the United States. It's also a market that does not require any FDA approval before selling its products.
More: Baby teething rings contain BPA despite manufacturers' "non-toxic" claims
If you're looking for a more natural way to help your baby through the pain of teething, try letting them gnaw on a frozen banana, a cold wet washcloth or a cold spoon. Those will provide your baby (and you) some relief without any health risks.
More: Homeopathic treatments are bunk and there's evidence to prove it