The lower central incisors, the two front teeth on the bottom, are almost always the first teeth to appear. They typically break through the gums around 6 months of age, though anywhere from 4 to 10 months is considered normal. After those two bottom front teeth, the upper central incisors usually follow within a couple of months.
The Order Baby Teeth Come In
Baby teeth tend to follow a fairly predictable pattern, arriving in pairs. After the lower central incisors lead the way around 6 months, the sequence generally goes like this:
- Upper central incisors (top front teeth): 8 to 12 months
- Upper lateral incisors (flanking the front teeth): 9 to 13 months
- Lower lateral incisors: 10 to 16 months
- First molars (upper and lower): 13 to 19 months
- Canines (the pointed teeth): 16 to 23 months
- Second molars (upper and lower): 23 to 33 months
By around age 3, most children have a full set of 20 baby teeth. The timeline varies quite a bit from child to child, though. Some babies get their first tooth at 4 months, while others don’t see one until closer to their first birthday. Both ends of that range are perfectly normal. The order matters more than the exact timing, and even the order can shift by a tooth or two without being a concern.
How to Tell a Tooth Is Coming In
Before a tooth actually pokes through, the gums in that area often become red, swollen, and tender. The earliest and most obvious sign is increased drooling, sometimes weeks before the tooth appears. Your baby may also start chewing or biting on anything they can get their hands on, which is their way of putting pressure on sore gums.
Other common teething signs include fussiness, irritability, difficulty sleeping, and a temporary dip in appetite. Some babies run a slightly elevated temperature during teething, but a true fever above 100.4°F (38°C) is not caused by teething. If your baby develops a high fever, diarrhea, or a rash while teething, something else is going on and worth looking into separately.
Babies Born With Teeth
In rare cases, babies are actually born with one or more teeth already visible. These are called natal teeth, and a 2023 analysis found they occur in roughly 1 out of every 289 newborns worldwide. They’re usually lower front teeth and are often slightly underdeveloped.
Natal teeth don’t always need treatment. A dentist will typically recommend removal only if the teeth are very loose (posing a choking risk), have a weak structure, cause pain during breastfeeding, or irritate the baby’s tongue. If the teeth are stable and not causing problems, they can simply stay in place.
When Teeth Seem Late
If your baby hasn’t gotten any teeth by 12 months, it’s worth mentioning at their next pediatric visit, but it’s rarely a sign of a problem. Some children are just late bloomers. Genetics plays the biggest role in teething timing. If you or your partner were late teethers, your child likely will be too.
In uncommon cases, significantly delayed tooth eruption can be linked to nutritional deficiencies or other health conditions, but a pediatric dentist can evaluate whether anything needs attention. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends scheduling a child’s first dental visit by their first birthday or within six months of their first tooth, whichever comes first.
Caring for Those First Teeth
Even before any teeth appear, it’s a good idea to clean your baby’s gums after feedings. Wrap a damp washcloth around your finger and gently wipe along the gum line. This removes bacteria and gets your baby used to the sensation of having their mouth cleaned.
Once that first tooth breaks through, switch to a soft-bristled infant toothbrush with a tiny smear of fluoride toothpaste, about the size of a grain of rice. That small amount is safe to swallow and provides enough fluoride to protect the enamel. Brush twice a day. After age 3, you can increase to a pea-sized amount of toothpaste, and by age 6, a slim ribbon is appropriate.
Baby teeth matter more than many parents realize. They hold space in the jaw for permanent teeth and guide them into the correct position. Decay in baby teeth can cause pain, infection, and crowding problems that affect the adult teeth developing underneath.
When Permanent Teeth Replace Baby Teeth
The first permanent teeth to arrive are the first molars, which come in behind the last baby teeth around age 5.5 to 7. These don’t replace any baby teeth at all. They simply emerge in the back of the mouth, which means parents sometimes miss them. Around the same time, the lower central incisors start to loosen and fall out, replaced by their permanent versions. The full transition from baby teeth to adult teeth takes several years, typically wrapping up around age 12 or 13 with the second permanent molars.