Teething in Babies: A Parent’s Guide

Get to know the symptoms and helpful remedies that will make this uncomfortable yet rewarding time easier to navigate

Out of all baby milestones, teething is notoriously one of the most demanding and challenging periods for both parents and the little one. Learning how to smile, wave goodbye to family and crawling might have been taught with little encouragement, however as they start growing teeth mummy and papa face a new challenge that requires patience and lots of love and care for the little one. If you recall your wisdom tooth trying to make its way into your mouth, you’ll remember the growing pains one has to suffer when teeth start to grow. Your little one would be enduring the same pain as they make their way into the teething journey. For most babies, teething can start as early as the three-month mark. You’ll notice a tooth properly emerging from their gum lines between four to seven months of age. Once the first tooth has arrived, you can reward your baby with flavourful purees and soft fruits and start weaning. The new sensations and flavors will surely get your little one excited and have something for them to look forward to as new teeth emerge over the course of time.

Baby Teething Chart

Your baby’s teething period will start when they are three months old and last up to when they are two years old. While this may seem like a prolonged period of time, it is good to remember that each tooth will cause your little one pain for just over a week, if there are no underlying issues. That is, you can expect their central incisors to arrive at between 6-10 months and the lateral ones between 10-16 months, giving you sufficient downtime.

We have put together a teething chart below listing out the types of baby teeth, their order of appearances and the time they are expected to erupt to help you prepare accordingly.

Top Teeth	When the Tooth Comes in
Central incisor	8-12 months
Lateral incisor	9-13 months
First molar	13-19 months
Canine	16-22 months
Second molar	25-33 months

Bottom Teeth	When the Tooth Comes in
Central incisor	6-10 months
Lateral incisor	10-16 months
First molar	14-18 months
Canine	17-23 months
Second molar	23-31 months

Baby Teething Symptoms

Over the course of your little one’s teething journey, they will grow 20 baby teeth; 10 on the upper jaw and 10 on the lower jaw. During this time, you might notice the below signs and symptoms.

Coughing
A slight fever (less than 38°C)
Changes in appetite
Swollen gums
Crying
Drooling
Chewing on hard things

Misleading Teething Symptoms

If your baby is vomiting, suffering from a runny nose, cold or diarrhea during the teething period, visit your nearest pediatrician for immediate consultation. Teething is a stressful experience for any baby which can leave them vulnerable to infections. As your little one chews on their toys or any hard things to relieve some pain, they invite germs into their body. In addition to this, the baby’s passive immunity from maternal antibodies fade as they switch from breastfeeding to solid foods.

Try to keep your little one’s surroundings as clean and sanitized as possible to avoid unexpected diseases or infections.

Baby Teething Remedies

Relieve your baby’s tooth pain with the below simple remedies:

Teething toys
Cold solid foods
Massage
Offer cool water from a sippy cup

These at-home remedies will soothe your little one’s gum pain safely. Toys like teething rings, and textured teethers made from silicone will satisfy their need to soother tender gums. While cold food like yogurt can help take the heat out of their burning gums.

Avoid using teething gels and over the counter teething medicines without consulting your pediatrician first.