Toddlers have up to 20 baby teeth, and most children have the full set by age 3. But the number your toddler has right now depends on their age, since teeth come in gradually between about 6 months and 33 months. Here’s what to expect at each stage.
Teeth Expected at Each Age
Baby teeth follow a fairly predictable pattern, arriving in pairs on the top and bottom. The lower front teeth (central incisors) tend to appear first, between 5 and 8 months, followed closely by the upper front teeth at 6 to 10 months. From there, each new type of tooth fills in over the next two years.
By 12 months, most toddlers have about 4 to 8 teeth. These are typically the four front teeth on top and bottom, plus the lateral incisors (the teeth just beside them) starting to push through. By 18 months, the count usually climbs to 8 to 12 teeth as the first molars arrive. At 24 months, most children have 16 teeth, and by 30 to 33 months, the final four second molars complete the set of 20.
These are averages. Some perfectly healthy babies don’t get their first tooth until close to their first birthday, while others are born with one already visible. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry notes that “many otherwise normal infants do not conform strictly to the stated schedule.”
The Order Teeth Come In
Teeth don’t arrive randomly. They follow a general sequence that helps you predict what’s coming next:
- Central incisors (front teeth): 5 to 10 months
- Lateral incisors (next to front teeth): 7 to 12 months
- First molars (back chewing teeth): 11 to 18 months
- Canines (the pointed teeth): 16 to 20 months
- Second molars (very back teeth): 20 to 33 months
Lower teeth generally emerge slightly before their upper counterparts. You’ll notice teeth tend to come in symmetrically, with the left and right versions of the same tooth appearing within weeks of each other.
Teething Symptoms With Later Teeth
The first few teeth get all the attention, but teething doesn’t stop being uncomfortable as your toddler gets older. The first molars (around 11 to 18 months) and second molars (around 20 to 33 months) are larger teeth pushing through more gum tissue, and many parents find these stages particularly rough.
Common signs include red or swollen gums where the tooth is about to break through, extra drooling, fussiness, difficulty sleeping, loss of appetite, and constant biting or chewing on objects. These symptoms are temporary and typically ease within a few days of the tooth emerging. Not every tooth causes noticeable discomfort, though. Some slip through without any fuss at all.
When Delayed Teeth Are a Concern
If your child hasn’t gotten any teeth by 9 months, it’s worth seeing a pediatric dentist. In most cases, late teething is just a family trait with no underlying problem. But occasionally, delayed eruption can signal nutritional deficiencies or other developmental factors that a dentist can evaluate.
A gap of several months between teeth, or teeth arriving slightly out of order, is not unusual and rarely indicates a problem. The total count matters less than the overall trend of new teeth continuing to appear.
Caring for New Teeth
You should schedule your child’s first dental visit between the appearance of their first tooth and their first birthday. This early checkup establishes a baseline and catches any issues with how teeth are developing.
For children under 3, use a smear of fluoride toothpaste about the size of a grain of rice on a soft-bristled brush. Once your child turns 3, increase to a pea-sized amount. Brush twice a day. Even though baby teeth eventually fall out, cavities in them can cause pain and affect the spacing for permanent teeth that come later.
Young toddlers can’t spit reliably, which is why the amount of toothpaste is kept so small. You’ll be doing most of the brushing yourself until your child develops the coordination to do it properly, which for most kids happens around age 6 or 7.