Crib Teething Guards - Baby Crib Rail Covers For Toddlers To Chew On

Teething toddlers will wrap their gums around just about anything they can get their mouth around. The sides of their crib are one of their favorite points of attack and one which you are often not there to supervise at all time. Not only can all that gnawing cause damage to the wooden cot itself but also be dangerous to your child who may be ingesting slivers of wood, paint chips etc. So how do you stop your child from doing this? Well, you can't really but what you can do is to provide a soft non-toxic barrier which is both safe and fun for them to gnaw upon whilst removing any chance of harm coming to them.

Crib teething guards, also known as padded rail guards, gummy rails, chewable rail covers or edge protectors provide a safe protective surface for your toddler to teethe on whilst preventing damage to the edges so you can continue to use it for future babies or sell/give it away it to someone who can use it later.

There are several different types of teething rail guards for cribs which are sold on the market today, each of which has their pros and cons and may be more or less suited to your needs.

Plastic crib guards are designed solely to preserve the edges from bite marks, whilst the range of gummy edge shields offer the same level of protection but in addition, they offer a chewable gummy surface for kids to gnaw on. Both of these work fine, but my personal favorite are the range of tie-on fabric teething covers which attach with velcro or buckle straps and not only provide a chewable protective crib rail cover but also provide a cushioned surface for when your little one bumps against it. Many of these also have fabric loops from which you can hang your baby's toys turning a boring wooden side into a fun play area which yes, they can still chew and suck on but safely and because these are washable, they can be quickly cleaned and replaced which is more sanitary too.

These types of padded crib edge covers attach to the hard sides of a baby's bed to protect them from ingesting paint chips, splinters and other chemicals when they teethe on the wooden or plastic surface. Most of these use velcro fastening, string ties or a buckle system to attach firmly whilst still remainly easy for an adult to remove so they can be cleaned later. This attachment system means there is no chance of them causing damage to the wood or plastic as some people have noted the gummy or sticky plastic guards can adhere a little too well, pulling of paint and varnish if you choose to remove them at a later date.

Material crib rail protectors are washable so keeping them clean and sanitary is a breeze. It is also nice to be able to hang toys from the additional loops and ties which some of the best like Leachco teething covers also include. This lets you add an extra functionality to the baby bed which wil keep your child amused and might even give you a few extra minutes rest whilst they amuse themselves - priceless!

One added benefit to buying a soft padded cover is the padding itself offers an extra layer of protection against knocks and bumps. If your baby has ever bumped his or her teeth against the hard wooden side of a cot then you'll understand the benefits of this. Knocks, bumps and falls offer a much softer landing when you've got a padded surface inbetween your infant and the hard wood of their bed.

Fabric crib guards come in a variety of colors and designs from flat solid colors like whites, brown, blues and pinks to decorative floral patterns or attractive child friendly prints. They are very easy to install and very easy to remove. They will also fit edges in all shapes and sizes whether they are fat, skinny, round, square, curved it doesn't matter because you are wrapping fabric around it which will easily mold to the shape required. Plastic and gummy types are not typically so versatile.

These are designed to offer a chewable non-toxic surface upon which your infant can gnaw. Many of these are designed to clip on to the edge which can be an issue for beds with non-standard rounded or curved borders. Others just lay on top which has customers complaining their children pull them off and throw them to the ground...and resume chewing on the wood! You can get around this by doing your own tweaks with velcro or cable ties for example all of which will hold them in place whilst protecting the wooden surface and painted exterior without the need to use adhesive glues or gummy backing which can damage the paintwork.

One thing about these which is less appealing is they do not offer any kind of padding to the barrier. When your child bumps their teeth or their head on the side of the crib it is going to hurt and no hard plastic cover is going to offer any kind of protection against that unlike gummi or padded material covers.

A non-toxic plastic sheath is an inexpensive option, is easy to remove and replace and will protect the wood and paint without being glued to the surface but overall, I think there are better options.

This range of self sticking crib rail guards by KidCushion is made from unique non-toxic, non-vinyl phthalates free material which is designed to protect your baby's teeth and gums by providing a barrier with a unique chewy texture. Gummi crib guards will attach firmly to both wood and metal and can be cut down to fit shorter front rails on cribs and side railings. Cleaning is a simple matter of wiping them down with soap and water and because they are rubbery to the touch, they offer a more cushioned bumper to protect your child from bumps and bruises when they inevitably fall against it.