Most babies start teething around 6 months of age, and the process continues until roughly age 3, when the last set of baby teeth comes in. That means the full teething journey spans about two and a half years. The good news: your baby won’t be uncomfortable that entire time. Each individual tooth only causes symptoms for about 3 to 8 days, so the actual discomfort comes in short waves rather than one long stretch.
The Full Teething Timeline
Babies are born with 20 primary teeth hidden beneath their gums. These teeth begin pushing through around 6 months, though some babies start as early as 4 months and others don’t see a first tooth until closer to their first birthday. If no teeth have appeared by about 10 months of age (adjusted for premature babies), it’s worth mentioning at your next pediatric visit, but later eruption is common and usually harmless.
The teeth come in groups over the next two to two and a half years. The bottom two front teeth (lower central incisors) appear first, followed by the top two front teeth. From there, the lateral incisors fill in on either side, then the first molars, canines, and finally the second molars in the back. Most children have all 20 baby teeth by age 3. Each group brings its own round of teething symptoms, so you’ll cycle through fussy periods multiple times.
How Long Each Tooth Hurts
A single teething episode typically lasts 3 to 8 days. Discomfort tends to build in the few days before the tooth breaks through the gum and tapers off within a couple of days after. The tooth cutting through the surface is usually the peak of irritability. Once it’s through, your baby should settle back to normal fairly quickly.
Not every tooth causes the same level of fussiness. The front teeth are smaller and thinner, so they tend to cause less trouble. Molars, which are broader and flatter, often produce more noticeable discomfort because they have a larger surface area pushing through the gum tissue. Many parents report the worst teething episodes around 13 to 19 months, when the first molars arrive.
What Teething Actually Looks Like
The classic signs are drooling, chewing on anything within reach, swollen or red gums, and general crankiness. Some babies pull at their ears or rub their cheeks on the side where a tooth is coming in. Sleep disruption is common during peak days, and some babies temporarily lose interest in eating because sucking or chewing creates pressure on sore gums.
One important distinction: teething does not cause a true fever. It can nudge your baby’s temperature slightly above normal, but it won’t reach 100.4°F (38°C) or higher. If your baby hits that threshold, something else is going on, likely a coincidental illness. Babies start teething around the same age they lose some of the immune protection passed along during pregnancy, so infections and teething often overlap by coincidence rather than cause.
Safe Ways to Ease Teething Pain
The simplest relief is also the safest: gently rub your baby’s gums with a clean finger, or offer a firm rubber teether to chew on. The counter-pressure helps relieve the aching sensation beneath the gum. Choose solid rubber teethers rather than liquid-filled ones, which can break. A chilled (not frozen) teether adds a mild numbing effect without being hard enough to bruise the gums.
Several products marketed for teething pain are actually dangerous. The FDA warns against using any gels or creams containing benzocaine or lidocaine on infants. Benzocaine (the active ingredient in products like Orajel and Anbesol) can cause a rare but serious condition that reduces the blood’s ability to carry oxygen. Lidocaine solutions carry risks of seizures, heart problems, and severe brain injury in young children. Homeopathic teething tablets have also been linked to serious adverse events and should be avoided. Amber teething necklaces pose choking and strangulation hazards, and there is no evidence they provide pain relief.
If your baby seems particularly miserable during a teething episode, ask your pediatrician about an appropriate dose of infant pain reliever based on your baby’s weight and age. A cold washcloth to gnaw on can also help during the worst stretches.
When Teeth Arrive Late
The normal window for a first tooth is wide, roughly 4 to 12 months. Genetics plays the biggest role in timing. If you or your partner were late teethers, your baby likely will be too. Premature babies often run behind the typical schedule even after adjusting for their earlier birth date. In clinical terms, eruption is considered delayed if no tooth has appeared by about 10 months of chronological age, but many pediatric dentists aren’t concerned unless a child reaches 18 months with no teeth at all.
Regardless of when the first tooth shows up, both the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommend scheduling a first dental visit by age one. This early appointment is mainly about checking jaw and gum development and getting guidance on cleaning those new teeth as they arrive.