The entire teething process spans roughly two and a half years, starting around 6 months of age and finishing by age 3 when most children have all 20 baby teeth. But the discomfort isn’t constant. Each individual tooth causes symptoms for only a short window, typically around 48 hours as it pushes through the gum. So while teething is a long chapter of early childhood, the tough days come in bursts.
The Full Teething Timeline
Most babies cut their first tooth between 5 and 8 months, usually one of the bottom front teeth (lower central incisors). From there, teeth arrive in a fairly predictable sequence over the next two years:
- Central incisors (front teeth): 5 to 10 months
- Lateral incisors (next to the front teeth): 7 to 12 months
- First molars: 11 to 18 months
- Canines (the pointed teeth): 16 to 20 months
- Second molars (two-year molars): 20 to 30 months
By age 3, most children have the complete set of 20 primary teeth: 8 incisors, 4 canines, and 8 molars. That said, plenty of healthy babies don’t follow this schedule exactly. Some get their first tooth at 4 months, others not until after their first birthday. If no teeth have appeared by about 10 months of age (40 weeks), it’s worth mentioning at your baby’s next checkup, especially for babies who were born premature.
How Long Each Tooth Hurts
The good news is that each tooth only causes noticeable discomfort for a limited stretch. Symptoms tend to peak in the 48 hours around when the tooth breaks through the gum surface. A prospective study published by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry tracked the eruption process in detail and found that the most irritation (gum redness, swelling) occurs in two stages: when the tooth is just below the surface creating a firm bump, and when the gum is actively splitting open.
How long those stages last varies by tooth type. The front teeth on the bottom tend to move through quickly, sometimes spending only a few days in the early stage before breaking through. Canines and molars take longer. Upper canines, for example, spent an average of 31 days as a palpable bump under the gum before beginning to emerge, then another 21 days fully breaking through. Second molars followed a similar pattern, with the pre-eruption stage lasting about a month on average.
This doesn’t mean your baby will be miserable for a full month. The discomfort is usually worst right around the breakthrough itself. But it does explain why teething with molars and canines can feel like it drags on longer than those early front teeth.
What Teething Actually Looks Like
The classic signs are drooling, chewing on anything within reach, and fussiness. You might notice your baby rubbing their gums or pulling at an ear on the side where a tooth is coming in. Occasionally, a blue-grey bubble appears on the gum right where the tooth is about to emerge. This is called an eruption cyst, and it looks alarming but resolves on its own once the tooth comes through.
What teething does not cause is a true fever. It may nudge your baby’s temperature up slightly, but not to 100.4°F (38°C) or above. That threshold defines a fever, and a fever signals an infection, not teething. The American Academy of Pediatrics has stated that babies who are teething are “little different from kids who are not teething,” meaning teething shouldn’t cause major changes to sleep, eating, or overall mood. If your baby seems genuinely ill, something else is going on, even if the timing coincides with a new tooth.
Why the Two-Year Molars Feel Worse
The second molars, which arrive between roughly 23 and 33 months, are the last and often the toughest teeth to come in. They’re the largest of the baby teeth, with broad flat surfaces that have to push through a thicker layer of gum tissue. Toddlers at this age are also more vocal about discomfort than a 6-month-old, so the experience can feel more intense for everyone involved.
These molars tend to have a longer eruption process. Research data shows the pre-eruption stage for upper second molars averages over 31 days, with the emergence phase lasting around 18 days. Lower second molars follow a similar timeline for the pre-eruption phase but break through faster once they start. The practical takeaway: if your toddler seems off and on fussy for a few weeks around age 2, check the back of their gums.
Safe Ways to Ease the Pain
The simplest relief is pressure on the gums. Rubbing your baby’s gums with a clean finger works well, and so does a teething ring made of firm rubber. Chilled (not frozen) teething rings or a cold, wet washcloth give the added benefit of mild numbing from the cold. Some parents offer chilled fruit in a mesh feeder for older babies who are eating solids.
What you should avoid is any teething gel or tablet containing numbing agents. The FDA has issued explicit warnings against benzocaine gels (sold over the counter under various brand names) because they can cause a dangerous condition where the blood’s ability to carry oxygen drops sharply. Prescription lidocaine solutions carry similar risks, including seizures, heart problems, and brain injury in young children. Homeopathic teething tablets have also been flagged by the FDA as unsafe. None of these products should be used for teething pain.
If your baby is clearly uncomfortable and nothing else is helping, talk to your pediatrician about whether an age-appropriate dose of infant pain reliever makes sense for your child. For most teeth, though, the worst of it passes within a couple of days, and simple pressure and cold are enough to get through it.