FDA Issues Warning on Teething Tablets

Dr. Dennis Morehart has treated generations of patients and continues to run a family practice in Enid. As such, our office is concerned by the Food and Drug Administration’s recent warning regarding a popular product for teething babies. On January 27, 2017, the FDA advised consumers to immediately dispose of Hyland’s teething tablets because they contain inconsistent levels of belladonna.

Also known as deadly nightshade, the herb Atropa belladonna has been used since ancient times as a sedative and remains popular among practitioners of homeopathy. However, it is also famed as a poison and causes respiratory failures and seizures. Homeopathic products usually do not require FDA approval prior to being marketed, and in 2010, The Standard Homeopathic Company, the manufacturer of Hyland’s teething tablets, pulled the product after the FDA complained that the dosage of belladonna extract varied considerably between tablets. Hyland’s was reintroduced shortly after, but was pulled again in October of 2016 for the same reason. At the time, the FDA was pressuring Raritan Pharmaceuticals, another homeopathic company, to recall belladonna products distributed at CVS.

No human fatalities have yet been proven to have been caused by The Standard Homeopathic Company’s products. However, investigations are ongoing, and the FDA warns that belladonna is not safe for children under two.

Dr. Dennis Morehart, Master of the Academy of General Dentistry, operates Enid Dental Care at 2411 Heritage Trail, Ste #4, Enid, Oklahoma, 73703. To schedule an appointment, call 580-237-2213 or visit EnidDentalCare.com and fill out a contact sheet.