When Do Babies Start Teething? Signs, Symptoms & Timeline

Most babies start teething at around six months old. Some start earlier, as young as three or four months, and others don’t see a first tooth until closer to twelve months. 

All of that is completely normal, and the timing on its own doesn’t say anything about your baby’s health or development.

If your baby has been more unsettled than usual, drooling more than you thought was possible, or chewing on anything they can get hold of, teething is very likely what’s going on. 

In this blog, we’ll cover what to expect when your baby is teething, what the signs actually look like, and when the teeth tend to come through.

When Do Babies Start Teething

The first tooth usually shows up somewhere between four and seven months. For most babies, it’s around the six-month mark. 

But there’s no fixed date for it, and some babies don’t get their first tooth until well past their first birthday. A few are even born with a tooth already through, which is rare but not a problem.

The teeth that come in first are almost always the two bottom front ones, the lower central incisors. The top front teeth tend to follow a month or two later.

By the time your child is around two and a half to three years old, all twenty baby teeth are usually in place. That process takes the best part of two years from start to finish, and it doesn’t all happen at once. 

Teeth come through in stages, with gaps of a few weeks or months between each one.

Baby Teething Signs and Symptoms

Not every baby shows the same symptoms, and some teeth come through with barely any fuss at all. But when teething does cause discomfort, these are the signs to watch for.

• More drooling than usual. This is often the first thing parents notice. Babies drool anyway, but teething tends to increase it noticeably. You might see a rash around the chin or neck from the extra moisture, which is completely harmless and clears up on its own.
• Chewing on everything. Fingers, fists, toys, the edge of a cot, your shoulder. The pressure of chewing helps relieve the discomfort in the gums, so babies do it constantly when a tooth is coming through.
• Red or swollen gums. If you look at the gum where the tooth is about to come through, it will often look red, slightly swollen, and tender. Sometimes you can see a white bump just below the surface.
• More unsettled than usual. Some babies get irritable and clingy in the days before a tooth breaks through. They might cry more than normal, sleep less well, or go off their food for a day or two.
• Rubbing their face or ears. The discomfort from the gums can travel along the jaw, so babies sometimes rub their cheeks or pull at their ears. This can look a lot like an ear infection, so if it carries on for more than a couple of days or comes with a temperature, it’s worth getting checked.

Teething, however, doesn’t cause a high fever, diarrhoea, or a body rash directly. Babies tend to chew on dirty toys during teething, which can cause a fever or some loose stools. But if these symptoms are persistent, it’s worth calling your GP. 

Baby Teething Timeline: Which Teeth Come Through When

Teeth don’t all arrive at once. They come through in a fairly predictable order over the first two to three years. Here’s how it usually goes.

Every baby is different, and your child might be a few months ahead or behind this timeline. That’s normal. The order tends to be more consistent than the exact timing.

The molars, when they come through, tend to cause more discomfort than the front teeth. They’re bigger, flatter, and have to push through more gum tissue. 

If your baby seemed fine when the front teeth came in but is suddenly unhappy again around 13 to 19 months, the first molars are probably the reason.

How to Help a Teething Baby

There’s no way to speed up the process, but there are a few things that genuinely help with the discomfort.

• Something cold to chew on. A clean teething ring cooled in the fridge, not the freezer, gives the gums some relief. The cold helps reduce the swelling, and the pressure from chewing does the rest.
• Gently rubbing the gums. A clean finger pressed gently against the sore area can help settle things down. Some babies find this more soothing than a teething ring.
• Pain relief when it’s needed. Sugar-free infant paracetamol or ibuprofen, given at the right dose for your baby’s age and weight, can help on the more uncomfortable days. Check the packaging or ask your pharmacist if you’re not sure about dosing.
• Keeping the drool at bay. A soft bib catches the extra drool before it sits on the skin and causes a rash. If a rash has already appeared, a thin layer of barrier cream helps it heal.

However, avoid teething gels containing benzocaine or lidocaine, as they are no longer recommended for babies. Don’t use amber teething necklaces, as they have no evidence behind them and pose a choking risk. And don’t give anything frozen solid, as that can be too harsh on sensitive gums.

Have questions about your baby’s teeth? Call us on 020 7580 4200.

When to Start Brushing Baby Teeth

Start brushing your baby teeth as soon as the first tooth appears. Don’t wait till they have a full set, or for when they’re old enough to hold a brush. The day you see that first tooth through the gum, that’s when you start.

Use a soft baby toothbrush with a tiny smear of fluoride toothpaste, no bigger than a grain of rice. Brush gently twice a day, morning and before bed. Once your child turns three, the amount of toothpaste goes up to a pea-sized blob.

It can feel a bit pointless brushing one or two tiny teeth, but the habit matters more than the coverage at this stage. You’re teaching your child that brushing is part of the routine, and you’re protecting those early teeth from decay while they’re still fragile.

When to Take Your Baby to the Dentist

The NHS recommends taking your child for their first dental visit when their first teeth start coming through, or by their first birthday at the latest. Early visits help your child get used to the dental environment before anything needs doing, so it never becomes something to be afraid of.

At Specialist Dental Services, our paediatric dentistry team sees children from a young age. These early appointments are gentle, unhurried, and focused on making sure everything is developing as it should. 

If you want to know more about what a first visit looks like, our guide on children’s dentistry in London walks through the whole thing.

When Do Babies Stop Teething

The last teeth to come through are usually the second molars, right at the back, and they typically arrive between 23 and 33 months. By the time your child is around three years old, all twenty baby teeth should be in place.

After that, there’s a long break until the adult teeth start replacing them, which usually begins around age six. In the meantime, those baby teeth need looking after properly. 

They hold the space for the adult teeth that will eventually replace them, and losing one too early to decay can cause spacing problems later on.

Where That Leaves You

Teething is an expected, yet uncomfortable stage that every baby goes through. Some babies might be completely okay during this time, some others might be fussy and irritated.

If your baby’s teeth are coming through and you’d like them looked at, or if you’re not sure whether what you’re seeing is teething or something else, we’re here to help. 

Our paediatric dentistry team sees children of all ages, and the first visit is always about reassurance rather than treatment.

Call 020 7580 4200 

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