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Key Summary
- Most babies get their first tooth between 4-7 months old
- Watch for drooling, biting, swollen gums, and general crankiness
- Chilled teethers, cool washcloths, and paracetamol can help ease the pain
- Book your baby's first dentist visit by 12 months
- Baby teeth can cause pain for both you and your little one
- Some teeth appear overnight without fuss, others come with days of crying and sleepless nights
- Your baby is born with all 20 teeth already hiding under their gums
- Teething is a normal part of development as they start eating solids.
What is teething?
Teething is when your baby's teeth start pushing through their gums. "Most babies get their first tooth somewhere between four and seven months old," says pediatrician Dr Victoria McKay, though timing varies.
When do babies start teething?
The first teeth are usually the bottom front ones, followed by the top four. Back teeth come through around 13 to 19 months, with pointy canines arriving between 16 and 22 months. "Most toddlers have their final baby teeth come through by the time they're three years old." "Generally a tooth breaks through in around seven days," Dr McKay explains, "but it's not unusual to have a pre-teething period where babies rub their gums but nothing happens for a while." So, if you're wondering whether it's teething, it probably is!
Early teething signs
Some babies cut teeth with minimal disruption. But there are some teething signs Dr McKay says to watch out for:
- Drooling.
- Teething rash
- Swollen gums
- Having hot or red cheeks
- Biting, for example a dummy or the nipple when breastfeeding
- Ear pulling
- Food refusal.
- Putting everything and anything into their mouth
- Disrupted sleep
- Being irritable and cranky.
Does teething cause fever?
A slight temperature increase can also be related to teething, but you shouldn’t ever dismiss fevers. “Fevers over 38 degrees Celsius should never be put down to teething,” says Dr McKay. “If your baby seems unwell, always have them seen by a doctor.”
Your Baby’s Teething Timeline and Chart
| UPPER TEETH | ERUPT | SHED |
| Central incisor | 8-12 months | 6-7 years |
| Lateral incisor | 9-13 months | 7-8 years |
| Canine (cuspid) | 16-22 months | 10-12 years |
| First Molar | 13-19 months | 9-11 years |
| Second Molar | 25-33 months | 10-12 years |
| LOWER TEETH | ERUPT | SHED |
| Second molar | 23-31 months | 10-12 years |
| First molar | 14-18 months | 9-11 years |
| Lateral incisor | 17-23 months | 9-12 years |
| First Molar | 10-16 months | 7-8 years |
| Central incisor | 6-10 months | 6-7 years |
How can I help my teething baby?
There are ways to give your baby some relief from sore gums, most of them simple home remedies.
Give them something chilled to suck on
“Cool items such as chilled teethers and soothers are a great idea and can be very soothing,” says Dr McKay. “Frozen foods should be avoided as these can be hard to manipulate in and out of their mouth.” There are lots of baby teethers available at Baby Bunting which
Instead, Dr McKay suggests crushing up something frozen (like breast milk) and putting it into a fresh food feeder for them to suck on.
Some parents find that dummies and soothers can help give children relief when they are teething.
Try hard rusks or a cool washcloth
She adds, “Lots of babies want to gnaw on something, so the harder rusks are great for this. Some babies like to have a cool wash cloth rubbed on their gums, but others find this too much. The main thing is to be responsive to what your baby is finding helpful.”
Avoid teething necklaces
Amber necklaces aren’t recommended by experts and should be avoided for potential safety risks. “I don’t like babies having anything around their necks,” says Dr McKay.
How to use pain relief for teething
If your baby’s discomfort is more significant, painkillers such as paracetamol can be helpful. “Always use the appropriate dose,” says Dr McKay. “However, if your baby is consistently in discomfort and you need to use paracetamol in more than an ad hoc way, that should be a prompt to have your baby seen by a GP or a maternal health nurse.”
Teething gels shouldn’t be used as a first port of call and should always be used under the advice of a GP.
Home remedies for teething baby at night
Those 2am wake-ups are rough on everyone! Try giving your little one a chilled teether before bed, or gently massage their gums with a cool, damp washcloth. If they're really struggling, don't feel bad about using infant paracetamol, sometimes that's what gets everyone through the night.
Does teething cause diarrhea?
You're not imagining it if your baby's nappies seem a bit looser during teething. Sometimes all that extra drool can upset little tummies. But if the diarrhea is severe or hanging around for days, it's probably not just teething and worth a chat with your GP.
Could teething cause vomiting
Teething itself doesn't usually cause vomiting, though some babies might bring up milk after gagging on all that extra drool. If your little one is actually being sick repeatedly, there's likely something else going on and it's worth getting them checked out.
Does teething cause fever?
A slightly warm forehead during teething is pretty normal, but anything over 38°C is a red flag. "Fevers over 38 degrees should never be put down to teething," says Dr McKay. Trust your instincts. If your baby seems genuinely unwell, rather than just grumpy, get them seen by a doctor.
When should my baby start seeing the dentist?
Take your child to the dentist within six months of getting their first tooth, or by 12 months old, reports Health Direct.
“The first few visits are less about having their teeth checked and more about understanding what happens and getting comfortable about being at the dentist,” says Dr McKay.
What to try: teething toys and feeding tools
Frequently Asked Questions
Most babies get their first tooth somewhere between four and seven months old, though timing varies. The first teeth are usually the bottom front ones, followed by the top four.
Watch for drooling (teething stimulates excess saliva production), swollen gums, biting on dummies or during breastfeeding, putting everything in their mouth, disrupted sleep, and general crankiness. Some babies also get a teething rash, hot or red cheeks and may pull their ears.
Generally it takes seven days for a tooth to break through the gums and this is when discomfort is most noticeable. However, there can be a pre-teething period where babies rub their gums, but nothing happens for a while. Back teeth (13-19 months) and canines (16-22 months) can be particularly uncomfortable.
It varies. Some teeth appear overnight without fuss, while others cause days of discomfort. If your baby needs paracetamol more than occasionally, have them seen by a GP or maternal health nurse.
Drooling is a common teething sign as the process stimulates excess saliva production. However, if you're wondering whether it's teething, it probably is, though it's not unusual to have a pre-teething period where symptoms appear but nothing happens.
Yes! Ouch! Biting the nipple when breastfeeding is a common teething sign. Your baby might also refuse food temporarily if they're in too much pain to want to drink or eat, but this is usually only temporary.
Yes. Disrupted sleep is one of the common signs of teething. Try giving your little one a chilled teether before bed, gently massaging their gums with a cool damp washcloth, or using infant paracetamol if they're really struggling.
Teething gels shouldn't be used as a first port of call and should always be used under the advice of a GP. Try other remedies like chilled teethers, cool washcloths, or appropriate doses of paracetamol first.
Cool items such as chilled teethers and soothers can be very soothing. Avoid frozen foods as these can be hard to manipulate. A great tip is to explore what your bub finds helpful, lfor example some like cool washcloths rubbed on gums.