When do baby teeth come through?
The order is fairly predictable. The timing is not, and the range of normal is much wider than most parents are told. Here is the sequence, plus what actually helps with teething.
Every parent ends up looking this up at about two in the morning.
The short answer: the first tooth usually arrives somewhere around six to eight months, and all 20 are usually through by about age three.
The longer answer is more useful, because the range of normal is much wider than most people are told, and a lot of unnecessary worry comes from not knowing that.
The usual order
The sequence is far more consistent than the timing. It generally goes like this.
| Teeth | Usual age |
|---|---|
| Bottom two front teeth | 6 to 10 months |
| Top two front teeth | 8 to 12 months |
| Top teeth either side of the front | 9 to 13 months |
| Bottom teeth either side of the front | 10 to 16 months |
| First molars, top then bottom | 13 to 20 months |
| Canines, filling the gap between | 16 to 23 months |
| Second molars at the back | 25 to 33 months |
Notice how wide those windows are. They overlap, and they are meant to. A child at one end of every range and a child at the other end are both entirely normal.
What is actually normal
Some babies are born with a tooth already through. Some reach their first birthday with none at all. Both happen and both are usually fine.
Teeth can also arrive out of order, or one at a time when you expected a pair, or crooked. Baby teeth frequently come through with gaps between them, and that is a good sign rather than a problem, because the adult teeth that follow are bigger and need the room.
The point at which it is worth a look rather than a wait is roughly 12 to 18 months with nothing at all. Usually that visit produces reassurance, which is worth having.
What helps with teething
Teething is real, but it is also blamed for a great deal that is not it. Genuine teething tends to mean a grizzly, dribbly baby who wants to chew on everything, with sore-looking gums. A high fever, diarrhoea or a rash is not teething, and that is a call to your GP.
What actually helps is cold and pressure.
- A teething ring chilled in the fridge. Check the packet, because some are not meant for the freezer, and a rock-hard frozen ring can bruise the gum.
- A clean damp facecloth given a short while in the freezer. Cheap, and often the most popular option in the house.
- Firm gentle pressure with a clean finger, or a soft silicone finger brush.
- Something to chew that will not break, always with you watching.
If your baby dislikes cold, the same objects at room temperature still work reasonably well, because the pressure is doing much of the job.
On medication: ask your pharmacist, GP or child health nurse before giving anything, rather than working it out from a packet. It depends on your baby's age and weight. Be cautious with teething gels in particular, as some are not recommended for infants. Somebody who knows your child is the right person to ask.
Start cleaning before there are teeth
This is the part most parents skip, and it makes everything afterwards easier.
Wipe the gums with a clean damp cloth once a day from early on. It is not really about cleaning. It is that having something in their mouth becomes completely ordinary long before a toothbrush shows up, so the toothbrush is not a new and alarming event.
Once the first tooth appears, switch to a small soft brush and water. From about 18 months, add a smear of low-fluoride children's toothpaste.
One habit worth avoiding: a bottle of milk or juice in bed. Anything sweet pooling around the teeth overnight, when saliva flow is low, is one of the more common causes of early decay in small children.
Baby teeth matter more than people think
The most common thing we hear is that it does not matter much because they fall out anyway.
Two reasons it does.
They hold the space for the adult teeth developing behind them. A baby molar lost too early lets the neighbouring teeth drift into the gap, and the adult tooth then has nowhere to go. That is a crowding problem created years before anyone notices it.
And they decay and abscess like any other tooth. A painful baby tooth hurts exactly as much as a painful adult one, and it keeps a small child awake.
The first visit
By the first birthday, or within six months of the first tooth appearing.
That sounds very early, and the reason is only partly about finding problems. It is that a one-year-old has nothing to be frightened of yet. Meeting a dentist while nothing hurts is how the chair becomes an ordinary place, and that tends to last.
Our children's dentistry appointments for this age are deliberately small. A look, a count, and a conversation with you about brushing, bottles and dummies, usually with your child on your lap rather than in the chair.
Read more: Five ways to prepare your child for their first dental visit
Children's dentistry FAQ
When does the first tooth usually appear?
Most often around six to eight months, but the normal range is wide. Some babies are born with a tooth and some have none at their first birthday. Both can be perfectly fine. If nothing has appeared by about 12 to 18 months it is worth a look, mainly for reassurance.
What order do baby teeth come in?
Usually the two bottom front teeth first, then the top front, then the ones either side of those, then the first molars, then the canines in the gap, and finally the second molars at the back. All 20 are usually through by around age three.
What actually helps with teething pain?
Cold and pressure. A chilled teething ring, or a clean damp facecloth that has been in the freezer for a short while, gives both. Firm gentle pressure with a clean finger also helps. If your baby dislikes cold, the same object at room temperature still gives the pressure, which is doing much of the work.
Can I give my baby pain relief for teething?
Sometimes, but ask your pharmacist, GP or child health nurse first rather than assuming, because it depends on your baby's age and weight. Be cautious with teething gels, since some are not recommended for infants. A professional who knows your child is the right person to ask.
Do baby teeth really matter if they fall out anyway?
Yes. They hold the space for the adult teeth coming behind them, and losing one early can crowd what follows. They also decay and abscess like any tooth, and a painful baby tooth is just as painful as an adult one.
