Most babies get their first tooth around 6 months old, but the normal range stretches from about 4 months to well past 12 months. Some babies are born with a tooth already visible, while others celebrate their first birthday with nothing but gums. Both ends of this spectrum are typically normal.
When the First Tooth Usually Appears
The two bottom front teeth (lower central incisors) are almost always the first to break through, arriving between 6 and 10 months for most babies. The top four front teeth follow, usually between 8 and 13 months. From there, teeth fill in roughly in pairs, one on each side of the jaw, until all 20 baby teeth are in place by around age 2.5 to 3.
Here’s the general order and timing:
- Lower front teeth: 6 to 10 months
- Upper front teeth: 8 to 12 months
- Upper and lower lateral incisors (next to the front teeth): 9 to 16 months
- First molars: 13 to 19 months
- Second molars: 23 to 33 months
These ranges overlap quite a bit, and your baby’s timeline may not follow this exact sequence. The pattern matters less than the fact that teeth are eventually coming in steadily.
Early and Late Teething
A small number of babies start showing teeth as early as 3 or 4 months. This is uncommon but not a cause for concern on its own. On the other end, some babies have no teeth at 12 months. Pediatric dental research considers eruption “delayed” only when no tooth has appeared by about 13 months of age (40 weeks after birth in full-term infants). Premature babies often follow a later timeline, since tooth development is linked to gestational age.
If your baby reaches 18 months with no teeth at all, a pediatric dentist can check whether anything structural is going on. In most cases, late teethers are just late teethers, and the teeth show up fine on their own.
Signs Your Baby Is Teething
Teething symptoms can start a few days before a tooth breaks through and typically include increased drooling, swollen or puffy gums, fussiness, chewing on fingers or objects, and trouble sleeping. You may notice your baby gnawing on anything within reach. Drooling can actually start as early as 3 or 4 months, well before any tooth appears, so drooling alone isn’t a reliable sign that a tooth is imminent.
One important thing to know: teething does not cause fevers, diarrhea, rashes, or colds. These are common misconceptions. The age when teething happens overlaps with the age when babies lose some of their passive immunity from the womb and start encountering infections, so the timing is coincidental. If your baby has a temperature above 100.4°F or seems genuinely sick, something else is going on.
Safe Ways to Ease Teething Pain
A chilled (not frozen) teething ring or a cold, wet washcloth gives your baby something firm to press their gums against, which helps relieve the pressure of a tooth pushing through. You can also gently massage the swollen gum with a clean finger. These simple approaches work well for most babies.
What you should avoid: over-the-counter teething gels containing numbing agents like benzocaine or lidocaine. The FDA has issued strong warnings against using these products on infants and young children. Benzocaine can cause a rare but serious condition that reduces the blood’s ability to carry oxygen, and lidocaine solutions can lead to seizures, heart problems, and severe brain injury if too much is swallowed. Products like Orajel, Anbesol, and similar gels fall into this category and should not be used for teething.
If your baby seems especially uncomfortable, infant acetaminophen is an option for babies 8 weeks and older, dosed by weight. Ibuprofen can be used for babies 6 months and older, also dosed by weight. Your pediatrician can confirm the right amount for your child.
Caring for New Teeth and Gums
Even before the first tooth arrives, you can clean your baby’s gums after feedings by wrapping a damp washcloth around your finger and gently wiping the gum tissue. This removes milk residue and gets your baby used to having their mouth cleaned. Once a tooth appears, switch to a soft-bristled infant toothbrush. You don’t need toothpaste yet at this stage; the brush alone is enough to keep that first tooth clean.
Both the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommend scheduling a baby’s first dental visit before their first birthday. This initial appointment is quick and low-key. It gives a dentist a chance to check that everything is developing normally and gives you a chance to ask questions about fluoride, brushing, and habits like bottle use at bedtime. Getting this visit in early also helps your child become comfortable with the dental office before they have a mouthful of teeth to examine.