Silicone teethers are soft toys that babies can chew on. With the continuous transformation of parenting concepts and the improvement of people’s consumption levels, the market demand for such infant and toddler products is constantly increasing, containing huge business opportunities. If you want to make some silicone teething rings that are harmless to babies or look for other harmless alternative materials, you can read this article to find the answers you want.
Types of Silicone Teethers
There are two types of silicone teethers: organic silicone teethers and inorganic silica gel. For the differences between these two types of silicone and whether they are safe, you can refer to the following content.
Organic Silicone Teethers
High Mechanical Strength
The molecular skeleton of silicone teethers is the silicon-oxygen bond (Si-O); the side chain is a methyl group, which is particularly stable. It has to withstand the soaking of saliva and the friction of teeth. The bond energy of the silicon-oxygen bond is high, and it is not easy to break. Even after long-term use, it will not suddenly decompose. Unlike some plastics that may release harmful substances, such as plasticizers. Even if silicone is exposed to high temperatures and humidity over time, this problem will not occur.
Chemical Inertness
The organic silicone chemical property is inert. Saliva contains acids, enzymes, and the residue of complementary foods that babies eat. These may cause reactions with other materials, but organic silicone does not. It does not undergo chemical reactions with these things and thus will not produce new harmful substances.
Safety
It is safe to use food-grade raw materials to make organic silicone teethers. The formula does not contain substances like bisphenol A and phthalates that are worrying. Bisphenol A may affect the hormone levels of babies, and phthalates can harm the liver and kidneys. There are no unreacted monomers remaining in the silicone. If it is well controlled during production, these small molecules will not remain in the silicone. Even if bitten for a long time, they will not gradually seep into the baby’s body.
Good Biocompatibility
Silicone has good biocompatibility. Not to mention that the oral mucosa of babies is tender, even if it is adhered to the skin or even implanted in the body for a short period of time, it is not easy to cause allergies or rejection. Babies won’t have red gums or rashes when biting it. Most children with sensitive constitutions can also adapt to it.
Strong Anti-aging Ability
Silicone rubber has a strong anti-aging ability. Even after being bitten in the mouth for a year or two, it will not turn yellow or harden, nor will it crack into small cracks to hide bacteria. Silicone wears out slowly and has fewer particles, which is also part of health.
Inorganic Silica Gel
High Hardness
The core of inorganic silica gel is silicon dioxide, which has a dense structure and a hardness much higher than that of organic silicone. During the teething period, a baby’s gums are soft and fragile and are prone to damage when biting hard objects. Organic silicone is soft and elastic, and can deform along the curvature of the gums. Inorganic silica gel is relatively “hard”, which conflicts with the “soft environment” of a baby’s mouth.
Easy to Breed Bacteria
Inorganic silica gel has a porous structure. The nanoscale pores are invisible to the naked eye, but when the baby eats, food debris can easily get stuck in the pores. These crevices are damp and warm, becoming a breeding ground for bacteria. Even when scalded with boiling water, the residue in the pores still cannot be washed away completely. Over time, bacteria multiply, and the baby’s gums are prone to inflammation. The surface of silicone gel is smoother and has fewer pores. When cleaning, it can be washed clean with just a rinse. Inorganic silicone gel is indeed at a disadvantage in this regard.
Low Mechanical Strength
Babies have a strong bite force, but inorganic silica gel has poor elasticity and is prone to breaking when subjected to strong forces. If bitten into small pieces, it is very likely to cause suffocation in the baby.
Poor Biocompatibility
Biocompatibility is also a hurdle. Inorganic silica gel has poor compatibility with the human body and is generally used as a desiccant, catalyst, and other chemical products.
In conclusion, food-grade organic silicone is more suitable for making silicone teethers than inorganic silica gel.
How to Ensure the Safety of Silicone Teeth During the Production Process?
Raw Material Safety
Let’s first look at the raw materials. When you choose silicone, you should select the ones with high-grade and purity. The raw material buckets should have clear labels indicating “For food contact use” and “Bisphenol A free”. After the goods arrive, you’d better conduct a random inspection first to check if there is a pungent smell. If there is an acidic or chemical smell, return it directly. Also, reme mber to keep your production workshop clean.
Control Temperature and Time
The temperature and time should be controlled during the mixing process. If the temperature is too high, silicone rubber may vulcanize prematurely or release some toxic small molecules. However, if the temperature is too low and the stirring time is too short, the rubber compound may not be mixed evenly. The gloves you wear must be made of food-grade nitrile. Do not use ordinary rubber gloves to avoid the chemical substances on the gloves contaminating the rubber compound.
Control the Vulcanization Process
You must keep a close eye on the temperature, pressure, and time of the flat vulcanizing machine. When the vulcanization temperature is low, the silicone does not cross-link sufficiently. This insufficiently cross-linked silicone rubber has very low strength and cannot withstand the long-term chewing of infants. If the vulcanization temperature is too high, by-products may be produced. The pressure should also be uniform. After vulcanization, the cooling should be slow. Rapid cooling will cause uneven internal stress in the colloid, making it prone to cracking. Let the silicone rubber strips cool down naturally. The structure of silicone teethers will be more stable in this way.
Trim the Rough Edges
The trimming after forming should be meticulous. The blade of the edge-cutting machine should be sharp, and the burrs it cuts out should be neat. If a baby bites into the burrs, it may scratch the gums. After rinsing, let it dry. Do not stack it in a damp place. Moisture will make the surface of the silicone sticky and breed mold.
Third-party Institution Test
Have a third-party institution test whether it is qualified. Silicone teething rings of regular brands must pass the FDA or LFGB certification. These certifications require that the materials do not deform and that the migration of harmful substances does not exceed the standard limits after high-temperature steaming.
Food-grade Packaging Bags
After the silicone teething rings cool down, pack them separately in a food-grade PE bag. The printing ink must be environmentally friendly to prevent the ink smell from seeping onto the silicone teethers.
Cool and Dry Storage
The finished product warehouse should be cool and dry. Don’t stack it together with smelly chemicals. Silicone is prone to absorbing odors. If it gets stained with the smell of paint, babies will feel nauseous when they bite into it. Before shipment, conduct another random inspection to ensure that each silicone teether has no burrs, no unpleasant odors, and no deformation.
What Other Materials Can be Used as Substitutes for Silicone to Make Baby Teethers?
Food-grade PP (polypropylene)
When it comes to making dental gel, its core advantage lies in its “stability”. It has inert chemical properties. No matter how long the baby bites it or how long it is soaked in saliva, it will not release harmful substances such as bisphenol A and plasticizers. The test results show that the values are even lower than those of many silicone compounds. The processing is also simple. The injection molding machine forms the shape with just one press, and the cost is low. It is suitable for making basic models. However, it is a hard plastic. When the baby chews it, there may not be a soft feeling. You can adjust the design to improve this. If the brand focuses on high cost-performance basic products, PP teethers are the first choice.
TPE (thermoplastic Elastomer)
TPE is now widely used in many children’s toys and teething rings. Its elasticity is close to that of silicone, soft and fluffy. Food-grade TPE does not contain bad things such as phthalates and halogens, and is very safe. When processing, it is important to choose the right formula. For instance, TPE based on SEBS has good heat resistance and will not become sticky if the baby’s mouth is soaked for a long time. TPE is suitable for making complex-designed teething rings.
Natural Latex
Natural latex is also a good option. It comes from the latex of rubber trees. Its biocompatibility is even better than that of silicone. It doesn’t irritate the gums when babies bite into it, and children with sensitive constitutions can also give it a try. However, it should be noted that natural latex may contain a small amount of protein, which requires deep processing, such as adding anti-allergy treatment or choosing latex that has been vulcanized and concentrated to remove the protein. Latex has good elasticity and can relieve the baby’s itching from teething. However, the drawback is that it ages easily. If left for a long time, it will turn yellow and hard. You need to add food-grade anti-aging agents to extend its lifespan. If you want to create a natural and organic brand for your teething rings industry, you can choose natural latex.
Bamboo Fiber Composite Material
Nowadays, parents love the concept of “natural antibacterial”, and this material just fits this concept. Mixing nano-scale bamboo powder with food-grade PP can enhance flexibility. The bamboo fiber can inhibit the growth of oral bacteria, making it more hygienic for babies to bite into. Bamboo fiber teething rings have a moderate hardness, being softer than PP and harder than latex, making them suitable for most babies.
Medical-grade PE (Such as HDPE)
However, pure HDPE is too hard and uncomfortable for babies to bite into. You can mix it with PP to adjust the softness and hardness. The cost of medical PE is slightly higher than that of PP.
These materials each have their own advantages and disadvantages. When choosing, you need to consider your brand requirements: if your budget is limited, choose PP; if you emphasize elasticity, choose TPE; if you focus on natural materials, choose latex or bamboo fiber; and if you want high-end products, choose medical PE.
Summary
In conclusion, not all silicone dental crowns are safe and healthy. When choosing organic silicone, it is necessary to strictly control the production process. If you have any other questions, you can contact us for free. We have many years of experience in making silicone products and look forward to providing you with more free and value-added services.
FAQ
Can Silicone Braces be Stained? How Can They Be Colored More Safely?
Silicone teething rings can be colored. All of our infant and toddler products use food-grade ink. The colors contained in this ink come from the natural pigments in food. This kind of ink will not fade and will not release any harmful substances.
How Does Our Packaging Ensure that the Products are not Contaminated During Transportation?
During transportation, we will use food-grade PE packaging bags and vacuum-seal them. The outermost part will also be wrapped with cardboard and foam to prevent damage.
How Can the Accessories on Braces Ensure Sealing and Safety?
Strengthen the structural design and adopt ultrasonic welding technology. After welding, it is necessary to test its tensile strength through a tensile machine to avoid the risk of small parts falling off from the source.
