Most babies get their first tooth around 6 months of age, though the timing varies widely. Some infants sprout a tooth as early as 4 months, while others don’t see one until closer to their first birthday. If your baby has no teeth by 12 months, it’s worth a visit to the dentist, but in most cases, late teethers are perfectly normal and simply on their own schedule.
The Typical Teething Timeline
Babies are born with a full set of 20 primary teeth hidden beneath the gums. These teeth begin pushing through around 6 months and continue erupting in stages until roughly age 3, when the full set is usually in place.
The lower central incisors (the two bottom front teeth) almost always come in first, typically between 6 and 10 months. The upper central incisors follow shortly after, usually between 8 and 12 months. From there, teeth tend to arrive in pairs, working outward from the center of the mouth. The lateral incisors (the teeth flanking the front four) come next, followed by the first molars, canines, and finally the second molars. Those back molars are often the last to arrive, showing up between 23 and 33 months.
This sequence is consistent for most children, but the exact ages can shift by several months in either direction. A baby who gets a first tooth at 4 months and one who gets it at 10 months are both within the normal range.
Signs Your Baby Is Teething
The most reliable sign is a visible change in the gums. The area where a tooth is about to break through often looks red, swollen, and tender. You may be able to feel a hard bump just below the surface if you gently run a clean finger along the gum line.
Other common symptoms include:
- Increased drooling. Many babies start drooling noticeably more in the weeks before a tooth appears. This can sometimes cause a mild rash around the chin and neck.
- Fussiness and irritability. The discomfort from teeth pressing through gum tissue can make babies cranky, especially in the hours before a tooth breaks through.
- Chewing on everything. Babies often seek counter-pressure on their gums by gnawing on fingers, toys, or anything they can get into their mouths.
- Disrupted sleep. Some babies who normally sleep well will wake more frequently during active teething episodes.
Teething and Fever: What the Research Shows
Many parents notice their baby feels slightly warm during teething, and research supports this. Teething is associated with a small rise in body temperature, but it typically does not reach the level of a true fever. A temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher is considered a fever and is not a normal teething symptom. If your baby has a genuine fever, something else is likely going on, such as an ear infection or a virus, and teething shouldn’t be blamed for it.
The same applies to vomiting, diarrhea, and severe rashes. These are often mistakenly attributed to teething, but they aren’t caused by it. Because teething happens during the same months that babies lose some of their maternal antibody protection and start putting everything in their mouths, infections and teething frequently overlap by coincidence.
Safe Ways to Ease Teething Pain
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends two simple, effective approaches: gently rubbing your baby’s gums with a clean finger, and giving them a firm rubber teething ring to chew on. The pressure helps relieve discomfort. If you chill the teething ring in the refrigerator, the cool temperature can provide extra relief, but don’t freeze it. A frozen teether becomes hard enough to bruise tender gums.
What you should avoid is more important than what you use. The FDA warns against using any topical numbing gels or liquids containing benzocaine or lidocaine on infants. Benzocaine can cause a rare but serious blood condition that reduces the oxygen-carrying ability of red blood cells. Lidocaine solutions can cause seizures, heart problems, and severe brain injury if too much is swallowed. These products offer little benefit for teething pain and carry real risks. Homeopathic teething tablets have also drawn FDA warnings due to inconsistent ingredient levels.
A clean, wet washcloth chilled in the refrigerator works well as an alternative. You can also let your baby gnaw on it under supervision. If your baby seems particularly uncomfortable, ask your pediatrician about an appropriate dose of infant pain reliever based on their weight.
When Late Teething Is a Concern
Some babies simply take longer. Genetics plays a large role, so if you or your partner were late teethers, your baby may be too. Premature babies also tend to teethe later when you adjust for their earlier due date.
The general guideline is to bring your child to a dentist if no teeth have appeared by 12 months. In rare cases, delayed eruption can be related to nutritional deficiencies or other medical conditions, and a dentist can evaluate whether everything looks normal beneath the gums. If most teeth are in but a few stragglers haven’t appeared, it’s worth checking in if they still haven’t erupted by age 4.
Starting Dental Care Early
Once that first tooth appears, it needs care. Start brushing twice a day with a soft-bristled infant toothbrush and a rice grain-sized smear of fluoride toothpaste. That tiny amount is safe to swallow and provides enough fluoride to protect developing enamel. After age 3, you can increase to a pea-sized amount.
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends scheduling your baby’s first dental visit within six months of the first tooth appearing, or by their first birthday, whichever comes first. This early visit is less about treatment and more about establishing a baseline, catching any issues early, and getting guidance on oral care specific to your child.