I know that teething can be a painful and frustrating time. Both for babies and also their parents!
What do you need to know about baby teething? Babies start teething as early as three months and usually have all their teeth by their second birthday. Teething pain can vary from baby to baby, ranging from barely noticeable to intense.
In this article, I’ll share all the stuff you should know about baby teething, including symptoms of teething and options to relieve your little one’s pain. As well as which teeth will break through in which order, and how to know if something is wrong.
Baby Teething
Your baby’s first tooth is an exciting event! This milestone means they’ll soon be able to start eating solid foods. That makes it easier to give them a nutritious diet.
Tooth development helps with proper speech development, as well as making them look more grown-up and contributing to your child’s self-esteem.
Baby teeth play an essential role in keeping space available for permanent teeth later in childhood. Baby teeth guide permanent teeth to make sure they end up in the correct position. Losing baby teeth early can mean less space for permanent teeth, meaning a crowded mouth into adulthood.
Teething can be an uncertain time for dads. Babies and toddlers show a bunch of different symptoms that they’re teething, and it might not be simple to isolate their cause.
When Does Teething Start?
Most babies start getting their first tooth when they’re about seven months old, but it can happen as early as three months. By the time your baby is 24 months old, they’ll have grown 19 more teeth!
All of your babies teeth are already formed at birth. They’re just hiding in your child’s jawbone. In fact, some babies are born with teeth already breaking through the gums. It’s actually pretty standard, and about 1 in 2,500 babies are born with at least one tooth.
These natal teeth are often loose and get removed before the baby leaves the hospital. This makes breastfeeding easier and also reduces the risk of swallowing or choking on the tooth later. About half of natal teeth will naturally fall out in the first year if left.
What If My Baby Hasn’t Started Teething By 7 Months?
Some babies are late teethers, and it’s nothing to worry about.
It’s rarer, but some babies don’t get their first teeth until after their first birthday.
As long as your kid is otherwise healthy and happy, there’s no reason to be concerned, even if your child is toothless by 12 months.
If your baby reaches 16 months and still hasn’t had a tooth break through, then maybe it’s time for a trip to the dentist and see what’s happening.
Do All Babies Have Teething Pain?
For the most part, the severity teething is over-hyped. You see TV shows and movies where a baby is teething and it’s a nightmare. But in reality, only about 10% – 15% of kids will have major discomfort during teething.
Lots of parents dread the day their child begins teething and think that they’ll be screaming their heads off 24 hours a day. But more often than not, it’s much smaller of a big deal than you’d expect.
Your baby is going through a lot of other development at the same time, so growing pains can often be confused for teething.
What Are The Symptoms of Teething?
Your baby might experience some of these symptoms when they start teething:
- Extra drooling once they reach seven months old Coughing. All that excess drool can overwhelm your baby.
- More biting than usual
- Rashes around the mouth
- Diaper rash
- More sleep disturbances
- Less appetite
- Diarrhea
- A fever between 98.6F (37C) and 99.3F (37.4C)
- Sore, red, or bulging gums
- More irritable than usual
- A runny nose
- Sucking on a teething ring, or their fingers or fists
- Flushed cheeks
- Pulling on their ear on the same side as the tooth coming in. This might also be an ear infection though, so pay close attention to other symptoms.
How Do I Know If Something Is Wrong Besides Regular Teething?
In the past, teething was blamed for a number of symptoms that babies had. Since it takes about two years for your child’s teeth to grow in fully, they might experience a number of illnesses during that time which you shouldn’t just automatically pass off as teething.
It’s perfectly normal for your baby’s temperature to be a bit high during teething. 98.6F (37C) to 99.3F (37.4C) is fine.
But if your baby’s temperature goes above 100F (38C), then you should get medical attention because there is likely something besides teething going on.
Severe diarrhea and vomiting aren’t normal symptoms. Your baby’s stool will be a bit looser than normal, but it shouldn’t be watery.
If your baby has a decrease in appetite that’s normal, but if they stop eating entirely you should be concerned.
What Are Eruption Cysts?
When a new tooth is breaking through your child’s gums, sometimes discoloration and swelling will develop around it at the same time. This is called an eruption cyst.
Usually these bumps will go away on their own once the tooth has come through the gums far enough. But sometimes an eruption cyst can cause a lot of difficulty for your child in terms of pain or difficulty eating, or even infection. In this case, their doctor or dentist can make a small incision to help relieve the pressure and make it go away faster.
How Do I Deal With The Extra Drooling?
There’s not a whole lot you can do to stop your baby’s extra drooling. But it’s important to apply cream and change your baby’s bib as often as you can because drooling can cause a rash to develop around your baby’s neck.
Do I Need To Brush My Baby’s Teeth?
You should begin cleaning your baby’s gums even before any teeth appear.
It’s as easy as wrapping your finger in a damp washcloth and gently rubbing your baby’s gums.
Once teeth start to break through, brushing is necessary. But toothpaste isn’t.
You can use toothpaste if you’d like. Children’s toothpaste has a low amount of fluoride in it, so you don’t need to worry about your baby swallowing it.
When Should My Baby Go To The Dentist?
Most dentists recommend starting to bring your baby for visits by the time they’re two years old, while some suggest by their first birthday or six months after their first tooth comes in.
Your baby’s first dentist appointment will be short and doesn’t usually involve very much in the way of cleaning or treatment. It’s a chance for your kid to meet the dentist in a non-scary way.
What Will Happen At My Baby’s First Dentist Appointment?
The dentist will check your infant’s teeth for decay. They’ll also look for any potential problems with your child’s jaw, gums, and bite. They might also brush your child’s teeth and decide if fluoride is needed.
As a parent, you’ll also get a basic education about oral health for kids, and get any of your questions answered.
The dentist will talk about common oral habits like thumb sucking, lip sucking, and tongue thrusting. As well as proper nutrition and developmental milestones your child’s mouth will go through.
Your dentist will probably recommend visits every 6 months. This helps to keep an eye on the developing teeth and quickly treat any problems that might occur. Plus it helps build up your baby’s comfort with visiting the dentist.
In most cases, your child won’t have their first x-rays taken until they’re five or six years old.
Can I Take My Baby To A Regular Dentist?
Most dentists are fine with treating children of all ages. But you might want to consider a pediatric dentist, especially if your child has special needs.
A pediatric dentist has at least two extra years of training besides the standard dental school. Their additional training is specialized in children’s teeth, behavior, and physical development and growth.
Either type of dentist is perfectly capable of maintaining your child’s oral health. But a pediatric dentist usually has an office design and staff training specifically for putting children at ease.
How Can I Help Relieve My Child’s Teething Pain and Discomfort?
Lots of water, and smaller meals. It’s especially important to keep your child hydrated while teething if they’re experiencing diarrhea. Offer them smaller but more frequent meals since they’ll probably be more peckish.
Medications if it’s really bad. You can treat more severe symptoms with a child-safe pain and fever medication. Just make sure you’re giving the correct doses.
Teething gels. You might also want to try applying teething gel to their gums to specifically deal with the discomfort in their mouth. Check the ingredients first though, because some contain a local anesthetic called benzocaine which can be fatal for babies.
Teething rings can be helpful. But make sure to let the ring thaw out a bit when you first take them out of the freezer. Otherwise, you might damage their gums. Putting a wet cloth in the fridge to get it cold can also make a great chewing material.
Hard foods. Like carrots, apples, and other raw fruits and vegetables are good for older babies to chew on. Freezies and popsicles can be good too, as long as you aren’t worried about the sugar content.
Hard foods aren’t suitable for younger babies though. They might help with your baby’s urge to chew, but they might also break off into large chunks which can be a choking hazard.
Cold foods. Foods like yogurt or applesauce are yummy and easy for your baby to eat, plus they’ll provide some relief.
A cold washcloth or finger. If your baby’s tooth hasn’t erupted yet, you can also rub their gums with your finger or a cloth for about two minutes.
Cold spoon. Put a spoon in the fridge and then let your baby chill their gums with it. DON’T put a spoon in the freezer because if it’s too cold it will stick to their gums (like licking a metal pole in the middle of winter.) A spoon works best before your baby’s first teeth have come in. I’d be more cautious about using it after your baby gets its first tooth, because you don’t want them to damage their brand new teeth on hard metal.
Take their mind off it. Give your little one something else to focus on besides the pain in their mouth. Take them for a walk in their stroller or give them a warm bath.
Cold water in a sippy cup. If your baby has reached an age where they can drink water and use a sippy cup, a bit of water with some ice in it can help cool their gums down. Don’t give your baby water before they’re 6 months old though.
A silicone spatula. If your baby is bored of all their usual teething toys, you can give them a one-piece silicone spatula to gnaw on.
Ginger. A piece of ginger root will help to relieve some pain or swelling if you rub it on your baby’s gums. Your baby might enjoy the flavor, but some babies (and adults) also hate it. But it might be worth a try.
A toothbrush. You’ll want to be sure your baby is seated properly and carefully supervised so they don’t gag with this one. But soft toothbrush bristles can give an interesting and soothing sensation for your baby to rub on their gums.
What To NOT Give Your Teething Baby
Essential oils. Some essential oils have benefits for adults, but it’s not safe to put them in your baby’s mouth or put them on their gums. They might get sick.
Some essential oils are toxic when ingested, even by adults. Others are even toxic if applied to your baby’s skin undiluted. So I’d just recommend not using essential oils around babies at all.
Alcohol. You might laugh at the idea of getting your baby drunk to help with their toothing pain. But in our grandparent’s days, they’d actually use spirits like whiskey or vodka to help relieve a baby’s teething pain.
My parents have some pretty funny pictures of me as a baby holding an empty beer bottle. But this isn’t a teething remedy you should use. It doesn’t work, and alcohol is bad for children even in small quantities.
Belladonna. Some homeopathic products for babies somehow get away with using this as an ingredient. It’s made from the berries of the deadly nightshade plant, and the name should give you some idea why this is a horrible idea.
Belladonna was used in ancient times by witches, oracles, and mystics to allegedly create a flying ointment. But in reality, this plant causes hallucinations, seizures and convulsions, rapid heartbeat, and even death.
What Teeth Appear When?
Your baby’s teeth will start appearing in a specific order. The timeframe will vary child to child, but here’s a general guideline:
Central incisors (two front teeth) – 6 to 10 months. The bottom central incisors normally come in first at around, both around the same time. The upper ones come in a couple months later, turning your baby into a cute little bunny.
Lateral incisors (beside the front teeth) – 10 to 16 months. Upper ones usually come in first.
First molars – 14 to 18 months. The wide teeth at the back of their mouth. Once your kid’s top and bottom first molars all come in, they can really start to chew.
Cuspids – 17 to 23 months. Aka canine teeth or “the fangs.”
Second molars – 23 to 31 months. Your baby now has a complete smile!
Fun fact: Your baby’s teeth are probably the brightest they’ll ever be. Baby teeth are whiter than permanent teeth.
When Will My Child’s Baby Teeth Fall Out?
Your baby will keep their first set of years. It’s one of only two sets they’ll get in their life, so it’s critical to take good care of them from the very beginning!
Baby teeth start falling out when your kid is around 5 to 7 years old. The central incisors most commonly get replaced first.
Your child’s baby teeth will keep falling out until they’re around age 10 to 12.
Old Wives Tales About Teething
Teething causes ear infections. Teething and ear infections are both things that babies commonly go through. And it’s possible for both to happen at the same time. But teething doesn’t cause babies to get ear infections.
Teething can cause ear pain, but not lead to infection. Just another case of correlation being mixed up with causation.
Early teething is a sign of good fortune. This was a belief in Malaysian culture. Everyone wants to feel like their child is special. But the truth is that early teething is normal and pretty common, and unfortunately won’t make you any luckier than a horseshoe or rabbit’s foot.
Early teething is a sign of bad luck. Chinese folklore says the opposite! Babies that begin teething early are seen as a bad omen. Having your parents think you’re good luck is one thing, but no poor kid should have parents that feel like they’re cursed!
Your baby might be headed for a life of crime. In Kentucky, people used to believe that your baby would be a thief if they started teething late. There has been no proven correlation between your child’s teething and future criminal activity.
Rabbit brains. This one is pretty disgusting, and I don’t know where you’d even buy rabbit brains nowadays. But one old wives tale suggested rubbing rabbit brains on your baby’s gums to help with teething pain. They had to be fresh brains though!
I don’t think I could bring myself to touch a rabbit’s brain, let alone put it in my baby’s mouth.
Your baby won’t put you in a home if they teeth late. Another Chinese superstition says that if your baby starts teething late, they will support their parents during their old age.
Egg in a sock. This one isn’t harmful to your baby, but it’s hard to imagine where beliefs like this came from. One wives tale suggests taking a raw egg (still in the shell), and putting it in one of your baby’s used socks. Then hang it up in their bedroom, and it will help keep the teething pain away.
I guess some parents back in the day must have been pretty desperate and trying any means possible to get their teething baby to stop fussing.
Related Questions
Q: Is spitting up a sign of teething?
A: Spitting up can be caused by teething, but it’s not the only reason. It’s true that babies drool more during teething and swallow more saliva, which can cause them to spit up more. But spitting up can also be caused by a cold, allergies, or anything else that causes your baby to swallow mucus.
Q: Can I give Tylenol to a teething baby?
A: Tylenol (acetaminophen) is generally safe for babies as young as two months old. Other pain medications like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) aren’t approved for babies under six months. Always read the label and confirm with your baby’s doctor before giving them a new medication.
Conclusion
Teething is painful and annoying for your baby to deal with, and it can be frustrating for you as well.
Pain from teething can vary widely and it might be intense for some babies, although this is really more of an exception than the rule. Normally teething isn’t as bad as popular culture would lead you to believe. But if your baby is struggling, hopefully some of the information and tips in this article will prove helpful and let you ease the pain and offer a bit of relief.
Remember that teething is temporary and they’ll get through it. When they’re done, they’ll have a beautiful new smile!
Did your baby go through intense teething pain? If your child has been through their teething phase, please share any of your own tips and tricks below! And if you know a dad or mom whose child just began teething, share this article with them to help them out!
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