Baby teething: the timeline, the real symptoms and what actually helps
Most babies cut their first tooth between six and ten months, and have all twenty by about three years. Here's the order they arrive in, which symptoms teething really causes (and which it gets blamed for), and the remedies to avoid.
Most babies get their first tooth — usually a bottom front one — between 6 and 10 months, though anywhere from 4 to 15 months is normal, and have all 20 baby teeth by about 2½–3 years. Teething causes drooling, gum-chewing, fussiness and a slightly raised temperature, but not high fever, diarrhoea or a rash — those need another explanation. Chilled (not frozen) teethers and gum massage help; avoid numbing gels, amber necklaces and honey.
Teething gets blamed for a lot. Some of it is deserved — sore gums make babies miserable — but plenty of illnesses have been waved off as "just teeth". Knowing what teething actually causes is the useful part.
When teeth come in
| Tooth | Usually appears |
|---|---|
| Lower central incisors (bottom front) | 6–10 months |
| Upper central incisors (top front) | 8–12 months |
| Upper lateral incisors | 9–13 months |
| Lower lateral incisors | 10–16 months |
| First molars | 13–19 months |
| Canines | 16–23 months |
| Second molars | 23–33 months |
These are typical ranges from dental guidance, not deadlines. Some babies are born with a tooth; some have none at their first birthday. If there's no tooth at all by 15–18 months, mention it to your paediatrician or a dentist — it's usually nothing, but worth a look.
Real teething symptoms
- Drooling, and sometimes a drool rash on the chin
- Chewing and gnawing on everything
- Red, swollen gums where a tooth is coming
- Fussiness and a bit more waking at night
- Rubbing the ear or cheek on the same side
- A slightly raised temperature — but below 38°C
Symptoms tend to be worst in the few days before a tooth breaks through, then settle.
What teething doesn't cause
Studies have not found that teething causes fever of 38°C or more, diarrhoea, vomiting, a body rash, or a runny nose with cough. Babies of teething age are also picking up their first viruses, which is why the two get confused. If your baby has any of these, treat them as their own symptoms — see our baby fever guide.
What helps
- Something cold to chew — a chilled (fridge, not freezer) teething ring, or a clean wet muslin cooled in the fridge. Frozen items can hurt gums.
- Gum massage with a clean finger.
- For older babies eating solids, chilled soft foods like curd or mashed fruit.
- Paracetamol if your baby is genuinely distressed, dosed by weight as your paediatrician advises.
- Extra comfort. Sometimes that's the whole remedy.
What to avoid
- Numbing gels with benzocaine or lidocaine — regulators including the US FDA warn against them for children under two because of rare but serious side effects. Gels containing choline salicylate aren't recommended for children either.
- Amber or bead necklaces and bracelets — a strangulation and choking risk, with no evidence they work.
- Honey on the gums — not before age one, because of botulism risk.
- Hard biscuits or rusks — a choking risk and a source of sugar.
Looking after the new teeth
Start brushing as soon as the first tooth appears — twice a day, with a soft baby brush and a smear of fluoride toothpaste the size of a grain of rice. Don't let your baby fall asleep with a bottle of milk; it pools around the teeth overnight. Paediatric dentists recommend a first dental check-up around the first birthday.
Frequently asked questions
When do babies start teething?
Does teething cause fever or diarrhoea?
What is the safest teething remedy?
When should I start brushing my baby's teeth?
This guide is general information for Indian parents, written from published paediatric guidance (IAP, WHO, AAP). It is not medical advice and cannot account for your baby specifically. Anything that worries you — feeding, breathing, fever, weight, a rash — is a call to your paediatrician, not a search. In an emergency, go to a hospital.
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