A Baltic amber necklace is jewelry made from fossilized tree resin sourced from the Baltic region of Northern Europe. While adults wear them as accessories, these necklaces are most widely marketed as natural teething aids for babies, with sellers claiming the amber releases a pain-relieving substance when warmed by body heat. The necklaces have become popular among parents seeking alternatives to conventional teething remedies, but the health claims behind them have no scientific support, and major pediatric organizations have flagged them as safety hazards for young children.
What Baltic Amber Actually Is
Amber is not a gemstone in the traditional sense. It’s organic, formed from the hardened resin of ancient conifer trees over tens of millions of years. Baltic amber specifically comes from forests that once covered parts of modern-day Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and surrounding areas along the Baltic Sea coast. What sets it apart from other types of amber found around the world is its chemical makeup: Baltic amber belongs to a class of fossil resins that incorporate significant amounts of succinic acid into their structure. Other amber varieties, sourced from places like the Dominican Republic or Mexico, lack this compound entirely.
Succinic acid is the key ingredient behind every health claim attached to these necklaces. The beads range in color from pale yellow to deep cognac, and some are milky or opaque while others are nearly transparent. On the Mohs hardness scale, amber falls between 2 and 2.5, making it softer than most minerals and easy to scratch or damage.
The Health Claims and What Science Says
Sellers of Baltic amber teething necklaces claim that when the beads rest against a baby’s skin, body heat warms the amber enough to release trace amounts of succinic acid. This succinic acid supposedly absorbs through the skin and into the bloodstream, where it acts as a natural pain reliever and anti-inflammatory agent. Some retailers go further, claiming the necklaces stimulate the thyroid gland to control drooling and boost immune function to reduce inflammation in the ears, throat, stomach, and respiratory system.
None of these claims are supported by scientific research. No clinical trials have demonstrated that succinic acid is released from amber at body temperature, that it can absorb through the skin in meaningful quantities, or that it produces any analgesic or anti-inflammatory effect when worn as jewelry. The temperature required to soften or alter amber’s structure is far higher than what human skin generates. Parents who report improvement in their baby’s teething symptoms while using the necklaces are likely observing natural fluctuations in teething discomfort, the placebo effect, or simply coincidental timing.
Safety Concerns for Children
The American Academy of Pediatrics and the FDA have both warned against using amber teething necklaces on infants and young children. The two primary risks are strangulation and choking.
A necklace around an infant’s neck can catch on crib slats, car seat straps, or other objects. Many amber necklace manufacturers advertise safety features like breakaway clasps designed to release under pressure and individual knots between each bead so that only one bead comes loose if the string breaks. In practice, however, there are no standardized manufacturing requirements for these products. The lack of regulation means there’s no guarantee a breakaway clasp will actually release when needed. And while individual knotting limits the number of loose beads, a single bead is still large enough for a baby to choke on.
The risk is highest during unsupervised moments, particularly sleep. Even parents who watch their child closely during the day may forget to remove the necklace at naptime or bedtime.
How Adults Wear Them
For adults, Baltic amber necklaces are simply jewelry. Some wearers believe the succinic acid claims extend to adult pain relief for conditions like arthritis or headaches, though these claims carry the same lack of evidence. Many people wear amber purely for its appearance. The warm, honey-toned beads have a distinctive organic look that differs from polished gemstones, and Baltic amber sometimes contains tiny inclusions like ancient plant material or air bubbles that make each piece unique.
Proponents suggest wearing the beads directly against the skin rather than over clothing, and keeping them close to the area of discomfort. Over time, the surface of amber beads can develop a film from soap, lotion, and body oils that dulls their appearance.
How to Tell if Amber Is Genuine
Because Baltic amber commands higher prices than imitations made from plastic, glass, or younger tree resins called copal, fakes are common. A few simple tests can help you identify genuine amber, though none are perfectly conclusive on their own.
- Saltwater float test: Mix about two tablespoons of salt into a cup of warm water. Real Baltic amber floats in saturated saltwater, while glass and most plastics sink. Some modern synthetic resins also float, so this test alone isn’t definitive.
- UV light test: Under ultraviolet light, genuine amber glows blue or green. This is one of the more reliable indicators, as most imitations don’t fluoresce the same way.
- Scent test: When gently warmed (by rubbing vigorously, not with a flame), real amber gives off a faint pine-like smell. Plastic imitations tend to produce a chemical or acrid odor. Be careful with this one, as excessive heat can damage the surface.
- Static test: Rubbing real amber against cloth generates a static charge strong enough to pick up small pieces of tissue paper or hair. Some plastics do this too, though, so it’s best used alongside other methods.
- Visual inspection: Authentic amber contains natural imperfections: tiny bubbles, organic inclusions, and irregular color variations. Perfectly uniform, flawless beads are more likely to be synthetic.
Caring for Baltic Amber
Amber requires more careful handling than most jewelry. According to the Gemological Institute of America, the only safe cleaning method is warm water with a mild soap, gently wiped with a soft cloth. Chemical cleaners, ultrasonic jewelry cleaners, and steam cleaning can all damage or cloud the surface.
Prolonged exposure to direct sunlight can darken amber over time, and it burns at relatively low temperatures compared to mineral gemstones. Store amber separately from harder jewelry to prevent scratching, since even a fingernail can leave a mark on its soft surface. Perfume, hairspray, and household chemicals should be kept away from the beads, as amber absorbs and reacts to many substances that harder stones would resist.