Hey everyone, quick question that I’ve gotten like a dozen times from new parents lately—can a teether be used in the car seat? Full transparency, I’m part of a teether supply crew, so I’ve fielded everything from “is this safe?” to “will it distract my baby while driving?” over the last year. Let’s break this down, no jargon, just the real stuff I’ve learned from both testing our products and talking to pediatric safety folks. Teether
First, let’s set the scene. I’ve got a buddy who’s a new dad, and last month he texted me panicking because he tried giving his 7-month-old our silicone teether on a 2-hour road trip, and halfway there the baby dropped it, and he couldn’t reach down to grab it without swerving. Another parent DM’d me saying they used a soft teether clip to keep it in the car seat, but then their toddler somehow got the clip undone and started chewing on the plastic part, which made him freak out because that could be a choking hazard. So yeah, this isn’t just a random question—it’s something every parent with a teething baby has thought about when they’re juggling diaper bags, snacks, and a fussy kid in the back.
Let’s start with the “can you even do this?” part. I’m not here to say hard yes or hard no—mostly because it depends on the teether, how you’re using it, and your car seat setup. First, car seats are built for one thing: keeping your baby restrained in a crash, right? Anything extra in there—like a teether, a blanket, a stuffed animal—can be a problem if it’s not installed right. Wait, but if you’re using the teether correctly, is that different?
I talked to a pediatric safety consultant last quarter who works with car seat manufacturers, and she laid out a few key points. First, no loose items in the car seat. That’s non-negotiable. If the teether isn’t clipped or secured, it becomes a projectile if you stop short or get in a crash. Even a small silicone teether moving at 30 mph can hurt a baby’s face or neck—way worse than it would at home. So that’s the first rule: if you bring a teether into the car seat, it has to be secured.
But wait, here’s the catch a lot of parents miss: teether clips. I’ve seen so many parents grab a random plastic clip from a drugstore, not realizing that those aren’t made for car seat use. Regular teether clips have plastic buckles, rings, or small parts that can come loose. If that clip breaks in a crash, now you’ve got the teether flying, and the broken plastic is a choking hazard. That’s why our team tested car-safe teether clips specifically for this—we use nylon clips with no small removable parts, and they’re rated to hold up to 5 lbs of force, which is way more than a teether weighs.
Now, what kind of teether works best? Not all teethers are created equal for the car. Let’s compare: silicone teethers vs. wooden teethers vs. textured rubber teethers. Silicone is my top pick because it’s soft, flexible, and if it’s dropped (even secured), it doesn’t have hard edges. We make our teethers with food-grade silicone that’s BPA-free, phthalate-free, all that good stuff, and they’re pliable enough that if a baby chews on them, they don’t break off into small pieces. Wooden teethers are a no-go for me in the car—they’re harder, can splinter if they get banged around, and if the clip fails, a wooden chunk is way more dangerous than silicone. Textured rubber teethers work, but make sure there are no loose beads or small parts attached—those are just waiting to become a choking hazard if they come undone.
Another thing: your baby’s age and stage. If you’ve got a newborn (wait, no, teething usually starts around 6 months, right? Some babies get it earlier, like 3 or 4 months), so if you’ve got a new teether, say a 6-month-old who’s just starting to sit up and grab things, they’re more likely to yank on the teether too hard, or stick it too far in their mouth. So you want a teether that’s not too big, but not so small that it can fit in their whole mouth. Our car-safe teether is sized to be about 3 inches long—perfect for small hands to hold, not too big to choke on, and soft enough that if they shove it in their mouth, it won’t hurt their gums.
Wait, I should mention a common mistake I see parents make: using a teether as a distraction to keep the baby quiet during the drive. That’s where the line gets blurry. If you’re focused on the road, and you’re giving the baby a teether to keep them occupied, that’s fine as long as it’s secured. But if you’re spending more time adjusting the teether or clipping it than driving, that’s a problem. The safety consultant I talked to said that distracted driving is a huge issue, and anything that pulls your attention away from the road—even adjusting a teether in the backseat—is a risk. So keep it quick, make sure the teether is secured before you start driving, and only check on it at stops, not while you’re moving.
Let’s talk about real-life examples, because that’s what matters, not just safety rules. My cousin, she’s a mom of 8-month-old twins, she drives them to daycare 45 minutes each way, and she’s used our silicone teethers with the car-safe clips for 3 months now. She texted me last week saying it’s been a game-changer—no more fussy babies, no more dropping teethers, and she hasn’t had to swerve or take her eyes off the road once. She said she makes sure the clip is attached to the car seat strap, not the baby’s clothes, because if it’s on the clothes, the baby could get tangled if they pull it too hard. That’s another good tip: attach the clip to the car seat harness strap, not their jacket, onesie, or pants. Clothes can shift, and the clip might pull away, leaving the teether loose.
But wait, is there any case where you shouldn’t use a teether in the car seat? Yeah, I can think of a few. If your baby is a really strong chewer, and they can gnaw through silicone? No, wait, our silicone is super durable, but if you’ve got a teether that’s already worn down at home, don’t bring it in the car. Worn teethers have weak spots that can break, especially if they’re being pulled on by a baby in a moving car. Also, if you’re taking a super short drive—like 5 minutes to the grocery store—maybe skip it. The risk of fussy baby is low, and it’s not worth dealing with the hassle of securing it if you’re just popping down the street.
I also want to address the myth that any extra item in the car seat is bad. A lot of parents I’ve talked to think you can’t have anything except the baby in the car seat, but that’s not true. The car seat manufacturer says you can have small, soft items as long as they’re secured. But if it’s hard, has small parts, or isn’t secured, that’s when it’s a problem. That’s why our team designed our car-safe teethers to meet those guidelines—we worked with safety experts to make sure they don’t have any parts that can come loose, they’re flexible enough not to be a projectile, and the clips are rated for car use.
Another thing to consider: temperature. Wait, do teethers get hot or cold in the car? If you leave a silicone teether in the car on a hot day, it can get warm, and some parents don’t like giving that to their baby. But our silicone is heat-resistant up to 500 degrees, so it won’t melt or leach chemicals, even if it’s in a parked car in the sun. On the flip side, if you put it in the fridge for a few minutes before the drive, it stays cold enough to soothe teething gums without getting too cold, which is good for the baby. Just don’t freeze it solid—frozen teethers can hurt a baby’s sensitive gums, and they’re too hard, so they’re more likely to break if they get banged around.
Let’s wrap this up with a quick do and don’t list, because that’s easy to remember:
Do: Use a soft, flexible silicone teether with no small parts. Secure it with a car-safe teether clip (not a random drugstore one). Attach the clip to the car seat harness, not clothes. Check that the teether isn’t worn or damaged before each drive. Only use it to soothe teething pain or keep the baby calm, not to distract you while driving.
Don’t: Use wooden, hard plastic, or textured rubber teethers with loose parts. Use regular teether clips not rated for car use. Attach the clip to the baby’s clothes. Use a worn or damaged teether. Adjust the teether while driving. Leave a loose teether in the car seat while moving.
Now, as someone who’s part of the teether supply crew, I’ll be honest—we built our car-safe line because we got so many questions from parents worried about exactly this. We didn’t want parents guessing if their teether is safe for the car, so we tested every single one to make sure it meets all the safety guidelines from pediatric experts and car seat manufacturers. If you’re a parent who’s dealing with a fussy teething baby on road trips, or you just want to make sure you’re not taking any risks, feel free to reach out to our team to talk through what works for your baby’s age and needs. We’re not here to push a product on you—we’re here to help you make a safe, smart choice for your little one.
Wait, before I go, I should add one more thing I heard from that safety consultant: every baby is different. Some kids hate teethers in the car, some love them, and that’s okay. If your baby doesn’t want it, don’t force it—just use your go-to soother (maybe a blanket, a stuffed animal, whatever works) as long as it’s secured. The last thing you want is to create more stress for you or your baby over a teether that isn’t needed.
Okay, that’s all the real talk I’ve got on this. I know parenthood is full of little questions like this, and it’s hard to know who to trust for the straight answers. If you’ve got more questions about teether safety, or you’re looking for something that works specifically for car rides, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team to chat. We’re always happy to help fellow parents navigate this messy, beautiful thing called parenthood.
Large Capacity Water Bottle References
American Academy of Pediatrics. (2022). Car Seat Safety Guidelines for Infants and Toddlers.
International Organization for Standardization. (2021). Safety Requirements for Teething Toys.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. (2020). Projectile Hazards in Motor Vehicle Seating Systems.
Guangzhou Lier Baby Products Co., Ltd.
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