At birth, a baby has 20 teeth, which are neatly tucked under their gums. Gradually, as the jaws grow, they will start to erupt.
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Usually, the first teeth appear at around six months. But there is no rule; in some babies, the process begins a couple of months earlier, in others later, sometimes closer to a year [1].
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Almost always, the lower front incisors appear first [2], then the upper incisors. Next come the lateral incisors, and so on. By the age of three, all 20 baby teeth will have erupted.
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Teeth don't erupt on a schedule. There is an estimated timeline, but it can change from child to child (see the table here); teeth can grow slower, faster, or in an atypical order [3].
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If a tooth is six months or more behind schedule, make sure to have it checked. Another red flag is asymmetrical growth. For example, the right lower incisor has appeared, but the left has not, even after six months. Talk about any of these issues with your doctor [3].
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If the child is born prematurely, their teeth will begin to erupt at the adjusted time. For example, if your baby was born six weeks early, they may start teething a month and a half later than the typical child [4].
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You can recognize teething by the following signs:
- swollen gums;
- the child is cranky;
- drooling profusely.
These symptoms occur in most children [5], although some may skip them entirely.
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You can not write off all of your baby’s ailments to teething. If they develop diarrhea, rashes, and/or fever (especially one above 100 F), consult your pediatrician [2].
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Babies get cavities, too, so as soon as the first tooth erupts, clean your baby’s teeth with adequate oral hygiene utensils and baby toothpaste twice a day.
