This is one area of your baby’s life that you’re allowed to wish away and hurry to get past: teething. After all, who likes seeing their baby in pain? And teething does cause little ones a lot of discomfort (Eisenstadt et al, 2017). Show
It usually starts to happen when they’re six to nine months old. Your baby will likely be more unsettled than usual, with excess drool and wanting to chew everything in sight (Harding, 2016). See our article on the signs of teething. Teething: when does it happen?Your baby’s milk teeth first teeth start to develop when they’re in the womb (Community Practitioner, 2011). We know, mind-blowing. But the teeth usually pop through the gums during your baby’s first year (Community Practitioner, 2011; American Dental Association, 2018). That said, some babies are born with their first teeth and others don’t see any come through until after 12 months. As with all things baby, there are no hard and fast rules. By the time your baby’s two and a half to three years old though, they will more than likely have a full set of teeth (Family Lives, 2018). How many teeth should my baby have and when?A rough rule of thumb is that the age of your baby in months minus six gives the average number of teeth, up to the age of 2 years (Ashley, 2001). For example a baby hitting their first birthday will have around 12 (months) minus six – so six teeth. So what exactly is going on in there?The gums swell and are tender to touch just before a tooth breaks through (Ashley, 2001) and so anything in their mouths could cause additional pain. You might see their gum start to split slightly to make way for the emerging tooth (Harding, 2016; NHS, 2016). This is actually the cells in the gum over a tooth dying off, creating a path for the tooth to emerge through (Community Practitioner, 2011). And with the molars (and occasionally the incisors) you can see a blistering on the gum or a smooth bluish swelling ahead of the tooth emerging (Ashley, 2001). Mind the gapWhen the teeth grow, special chemicals are released by the body. This causes part of the gums to separate and allow teeth to grow through. How clever is that? (Harding, 2016; NHS, 2016). What’s the order that baby teeth appear in?Here’s a quick, handy chart that tells you roughly when to expect each tooth, though do remember that every child is different (NHS, 2016; NHS Devon, 2018). Generally, you’ll find their teeth erupt in pairs, usually starting with their two bottom teeth – first incisors (Lyttle et al, 2015).
Don’t be alarmed, teething isn’t constant from five to 33 months. In fact, each tooth or pair of teeth should only cause your little one pain for just over a week. In other words, for five days ahead of an appearance – ‘eruption day’ – and three days afterwards (Macknin et al, 2000). So what can I do to help them through these bouts of teething?Teething may make them super-grumpy, which is tough on you too. Thankfully, there are some things that can ease their discomfort, such as teething toys, certain foods and even cuddles. You can read more about teething in our range of articles.
See our guide to brushing your baby’s teeth here. Further informationOur support line offers practical and emotional support with feeding your baby and general enquiries for parents, members and volunteers: 0300 330 0700. You might find attending one of NCT's Early Days groups helpful as they give you the opportunity to explore different approaches to important parenting issues with a qualified group leader and other new parents in your area. Make friends with other parents-to-be and new parents in your local area for support and friendship by seeing what NCT activities are happening nearby. NHS has produced a guide to looking after your baby’s teeth. NCT has partnered with the British Red Cross to offer courses in baby first aid.
American Dental Association (2018) Eruption charts. Available at: https://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/az-topics/e/eruption-charts [accessed 17th September 2018] Ashley MP (2001) It’s only teething… A report of the myths and modern approaches to teething. Opinion piece. Br Dent J. 191(1):4-8. Available at: https://www.nature.com/articles/4801078.pdf [accessed 17th September 2018]. Community Practitioner (2011). Teething trouble: Educational supplement. Vol 7, March.[ER1] Eisenstadt M, Malkiel S, Pollak U (2017) It’s alright, ma (I’m only teething...) dispelling the myth from the teeth. Acad J Ped Neonatol. 3(4):555618. Available at: https://juniperpublishers.com/ajpn/pdf/AJPN.MS.ID.555618.pdf [accessed 17th September 2018]. Family Lives (2018) Teething. Available at: https://www.familylives.org.uk/advice/pregnancy-and-baby/health-and-development/teething/ [accessed 1st April 2018]. Harding M (2016) Teething. Patient. Available at: https://patient.info/health/teething#nav-2 [accessed 28th September 2018]. Macknin ML, Piedmonte M, Jacobs J, Skibinski C (2000) Symptoms associated with infant teething: a prospective study. Pediatrics. 2000 Apr;105(4 Pt 1):747-52. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10742315 [accessed 17th September 2018].[2] NHS Choices (2016) Baby teething symptoms. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/teething-and-tooth-care/ [accessed 17th September 2018]. NHS Devon (2018) Oral health information, age related advice, babies 0-1. Available: http://www.healthyteethdevon.nhs.uk/oral-health-information/public/age-related-advice/babies-0-1/ [accessed 1st April 2018]. You wait, you peek, you might even poke. You get through some fitful nights with your unusually fussy baby ... and ta-da! That first teeny-tiny baby tooth appears. But once those little pearly whites start popping up, then what? Baby teeth, also called primary or deciduous teeth, are temporary placeholders for the permanent set, but they play an important role in your child's development. Here’s what you should know about your baby’s first tooth and baby teeth eruption. What age do babies get teeth?When it comes to baby teeth eruption, there’s a wide range of normal. The average first baby tooth erupts at 6 or 7 months, but first teeth may emerge at around 12 months old (or even later). And some babies cut their first teeth very early, at around 3 or 4 months old. It’s hard to predict exactly when your baby’s teeth will arrive. Your baby might experience teething symptoms for months before the first tooth erupts, or he may have virtually no noticeable symptoms at all. Baby teeth chart and order of tooth appearanceFor many babies, the bottom front teeth (also known as lower central incisors) appear first, at around 6 to 10 months. It’s also normal for the top front teeth (or upper central incisors) to come in on the same schedule, at around 8 to 12 months. A baby’s first teeth tend to hurt the most, as do molars (simply because they’re bigger). But most babies get used to the pain of baby teeth eruption and aren’t too bothered later on. Here’s a typical baby teeth timeline, so you know when to be on the lookout for baby teeth eruption:
How many teeth should babies and kids have?By the time they're 1 year old, most kids have between two and four teeth. Baby teeth eruption continues until about age 2 1/2, at which point most children have their full set of 20 primary teeth. Despite being called “baby teeth,” these tiny chompers stay put well past the baby years. The first baby tooth will typically fall out to make room for your child’s permanent choppers when he’s about 6 or 7 years old. The last of his primary teeth won’t be replaced by permanent teeth until around age 12, although some kids don’t get all of their 32 permanent teeth until they’re 21. It’s actually even relatively common to keep baby teeth for longer and possibly for life. These “retained primary teeth” usually occur when there isn’t a permanent successor, although sometimes it’s simply because a permanent tooth doesn’t grow in. If your child has a retained primary tooth, his dentist may recommend removal of the baby tooth or other orthodontic procedures. Do babies need their teeth to chew?Baby’s first teeth are used for biting on food (and crib rails, and crib guards, and toys, and fingers) instead of chewing, which starts when molars come in during year 2. Until then, babies primarily use their gums to mash food. How do I care for my baby’s first teeth?Just because they’re not permanent doesn’t mean they’re not important. To prevent cavities and keep baby's teeth healthy, abide by the following baby teeth care tips:
Does your baby need fluoride supplements?There may be no need to give your child a fluoride supplement, but check with your pediatrician to be sure. Babies under 6 months old don’t need fluoride supplements, and older babies only need it if the local water supply isn’t fluoridated, or if they just drink bottled water, which contains no fluoride. Your doctor will tell you whether your child needs a special supplement for babies or toddlers.
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