Teething

Baby Teething Information

What Is Teething In Infants?

Teething is a normal process in which the first teeth of an infant begin to "erupt" and come up through the gums. It is one of those inevitable growing pains that every baby goes through. For some little ones, teething comes and goes without as much as a whimper. For other babies (and their parents), it might be an ordeal with many nights of lost sleep.

Don't feel neglectful if you realize, once the tooth appears, that the attitude change was due to teething. Next time you will know what to expect!

How Do I Know When My Baby Is Teething?

The first painful cries of a teething baby can be difficult to figure out. The condition can be difficult to diagnose because there is little visible evidence to guide parents to the source of the pain.

When a baby begins teething, parents need to rely on other external signs and symptoms that do not include actually seeing the first pearly whites pushing through. This can include such signs as:

Increased drooling
Hand biting (your little one may find comfort in shoving their entire fist in their mouth, not just a thumb)
The new or increased need to bite or chew on anything (just like a puppy)
Fussiness
Nighttime wakefulness

If your baby does begin showing many, or even all, of the symptoms of teething, it is still no guarantee that teething is the source of the troubles. If your baby is experiencing pain that is not clearly coming from his gums and is acting differently, it is always best to consult with your child's healthcare provider.

As you begin to notice an increase in teething symptoms, check your baby's lower gums. They usually get harder or swollen just before the new teeth begin to crown.

(Click Teething Symptoms and Signs for more information.)

Treating Teething Symptoms

Because teething is temporary, treatment involves relieving the symptoms. If your baby is having discomfort, you can try placing anything cold on the gums. You can give your infant an over-the-counter (OTC) pain reliever such as acetaminophen (Infant Tylenol^®) or ibuprofen (Motrin^®, Advil^®) to help with the discomfort.

(Click Teething Remedies for treatment options do's and don'ts.)

When Will My Baby Begin Teething?

On average, infants begin teething between 6 and 10 months of age. Some might start earlier and some might start later. In rare cases, some newborns are born with a few teeth (known as natal teeth).

The first teeth to keep an eye out for will be the two bottom front teeth known as the incisors. They all generally come in pairs.

The order and timing of appearance of baby teeth is usually as follows:

Lower center incisors: 5 to 7 months
Upper center incisors: 6 to 8 months
Upper lateral incisors: 9 to 11 months
Lower central incisors: 10 to 12 months
First molars: 12 to 16 months
Canines: 16 to 20 months
Second molars: 20 to 30 months.

When Do All the Baby Teeth Come In?

On average, all a child's teeth have come in by 30 months of age. However, there is variability in the timing and sequence of tooth eruption based on a number of factors, including gender and ethnicity. Girls tend to develop their primary teeth before boys, and African American children earlier than Caucasians.