When Can Babies Start Teething ? Signs of First Tooth Eruption

Being a parent is an exciting journey. And if you are a new parent, there is an innumerable question about your little one’s developmental milestones. One of them being “When will my baby get her first tooth?” The process of teething is different for every child. But here is what I learned when my baby shower. [Read - Teething Symptoms & Home Remedies for 0-12 Age Babies]

When Can Babies Start Teething?

When does the first tooth appear? Well, there is no fixed month. It varies greatly. Babies can have their first tooth poke through at any time from 4 to 9 months of age. In some cases, it is even later than this. My little one got hers in the seventh month. But don’t worry, if your child cuts her teeth later. Or earlier.

In most of the babies, their teeth appear in pairs. The first teeth to appear are the lower central incisors. The bottom teeth will be followed by the upper central incisors, lower and upper lateral incisors, first molars, canines, and second molars. In most cases, children will have a full set of baby teeth by the time they are 3 years old.

When babies tend to chew on anything and everything, it is a sign that the teething process has started. This is just a symptom. Babies do this to soothe their aching gums. As a mother, you can do several things to ease your baby’s teething pain. Keep plenty of soft, cloth toys and rubber teethers handy to control the tendency to gnaw on everything. Cold items will also help to reduce the need to chew and will numb the ache at the same time. Mesh teethers with frozen foods inside can help. Personally, I chose to soothe my little one's pain by massaging the aching gums. I used my clean finger to rub and to apply pressure gently along the gums.

Signs & Symptoms of First Tooth Eruption

Every baby is different. My baby’s teething process was easy and fast. But for some babies, as my pediatrician informed, the signs and process last for weeks before a tooth actually emerges. However, there are some typical signs that you would notice which can indicate that your baby is preparing to cut her first tooth. My pediatrician updated me that symptoms of teething include drooling, chewing on objects, irritability or crankiness and sore or tender gums.

Changes in sleep patterns, night waking and eating or nursing habits can also appear in some cases. Fussiness can be another symptom too. In some babies, symptoms like these can remain throughout the teething process until the baby has got a full set of teeth.

Child's First Dental Hygiene

Introducing dental hygiene or dental care early is the right way to go. Even before my baby’s first tooth emerged, I cleaned her gums with a gauze cloth. After that, once her first tooth arrived, I used a small, soft-bristled brush to clean the tooth and gum line. From my experience, I believe that when you develop a regular brushing routine, it gets your baby accustomed to daily dental care from an early age.

So, enjoy your baby’s smile and keep her healthy. Happy Teething!