I have gathered quite an array of teething products, as my son's pearly whites have gradually made their miserable appearance. We've tried teething rings, gels, pain killers and Ashton & Parsons Infant Powders. We were recommended this herbal remedy by another Mum, who swore by it. This was a good enough recommendation to send me off to Boots, where you can buy a small box of 20 powders for £2.53.

If you are looking for something modern and medical, you are very unlikely to pick up this small unassuming box. The packaging looks like it hasn't been updated since the 1950s, and some of the language used is rather old fashioned. Each of the powders is simply wrapped in a piece of grease proof like paper, which also outlines the directions for use.

The powders contain a "tincture of Matricaria 0.002 ml in a lactose base". The powders are described as "a herbal product traditionally used in infants for the symptomatic relief of the pain and stomach upset associated with teething." For babies under 6 months the dose is half a powder morning and night. For babies over 6 months, this increases to a whole powder. However, you can repeat the dose every hour if your child is particularly restless.

My son clearly likes the flavour of these powders. He has started opening his mouth when he sees the wrapper in my hand! This makes it pretty easy for me to pour the powder on to his tongue. However, it would probably be a nightmare trying to get one of these into the mouth of a protesting baby. The paper wrappers also make it difficult to take this product out with you. I slipped a couple into my bag on one occasion, but when I came to use them, I found that all of the powder had leaked out.

I would love to say that these powders proved to be our miracle cure for teething pain, but in truth I don't actually know whether they worked or not. My son certainly seems to like them, and he does seem calmer after he has had one. However, I get the same reaction from him if he has had a dose of calpol.

Would I recommend them? Yes, I would. I have heared others rave about the miracle properties of these powders. When you have a grumpy, teething baby £2.53 is a small price to pay to try something that may turn out to be a miracle cure.