Baby Teething Timeline: A Complete Guide

Teething is a widely known phenomenon that can cause distress in babies during the first year of their birth. Almost every baby or toddler goes through a teething phase with sufferings and very little percentage of babies have their tooth cuts out without pain. If you really want to understand the teething timeline of your baby, this article will be of great help to you.

Image Source: Sappymoosetree, flickr.com

Teething Phase

Generally, teething starts in babies between 4 to 6 months. Every baby is unique and some experience teething early (there are reports which state that some babies are born with teeth) and some experience it after their first birthday. But it is usually around 6 months of age in many babies.

Genetics plays the main role in teething. Early teething runs in some families and it may differ based on the genes. Teething is usually accompanied by fussiness. Babies get uncomfortable and irritable during teething phase. It is essential to figure out if the baby is teething so we could use some helpful measures to ease the pain.

Order of Baby’s Teeth

In most cases, there is a pattern in which all the teeth develops in a baby. 20 teeth are normally developed around 1 to 3 Years of age. Usually, the bottom two teeth come out first, followed by the two top ones. The next order is the ones that are next to the front ones and the order follows front to back with the arrival of molars at the last.

The below section provides the summary of the general pattern in which the teeth emerges in babies:

Please note that every child is unique and this pattern might not happen in every child.

Child’s Complete Teething Timeline

Baby’s Teething Timeline

Toddler Teething Timeline

From 2 to 3 years, your child develops full set of 20 primary teeth, which are called as baby teeth.

Symptoms of Teething

The tooth pushes the bone and gum line and it is like a small volcanic eruption within baby’s mouth and hence it causes so much pain in them. Some of the symptoms of teething are:

• Mild fever
• Constant drooling and sucking
• Red Cheeks
• Runny Stools
• Baby being fussy even after fed
• Not feeding or eating normally
• Gums might be swollen
• Sleep can be disturbed
• Constantly biting something

Children are not affected by teething pain for all their tooth, it is quite painful during first few teeth arousal but the body gets used to it and the teething pain gradually reduces.

Ways to Ease the Pain

There are some methods by which teething pain can be controlled and some of them are:

#1. Apply Pressure

Gently massage the gum line of babies with clean fingers. This gentle motion on their gum line will create the counter pressure caused by teething and will reduce the distress in babies. A soft and clean face cloth can be used for this process.

#2. Cold Packs

Applying cold on the gum line can cause numbness in the area and this will be comfortable for a child who is in pain. A cold metal spoon with no sharp edges can be given to babies and as they suck on the cold spoon, their pain will ease away.

#3. Pacifiers

Some babies while teething will like to constant suck on something. Using a pacifier can help in these situations. Babies who are into solids can be given a piece of frozen fruit to chew on.

Also Read: Pacifier and Soothers: A complete Guide

#4. Teethers

There are many numbers of teethers available today in markets and finding the one suiting your baby could be quite helpful. Make sure to clean and sanitise the teethers regularly.

#5. Teething Powders

There are many teething gels and powders available these days and using the one with natural ingredients can reduce the teething pain in babies. Please follow the instructions mentioned on the product specifications carefully.

#6. Reduce the Swelling

Teething can cause swelling of gums which could trigger pain. Swelling can be avoided by decreasing the content of refined sugar in baby’s diet. Make sure to include lots of fruits and vegetables in baby’s diet.

#7. Probiotics

The good culture medium in probiotics will boost the immune system. Including probiotics in a daily manner improves their overall immunity. This prevents baby from being affected by cold or fever while in teething phase.

#8. Baby Panadol

If any of the above-mentioned ways does not ease the pain in babies, then provide baby Panadol as per instruction to the baby. This will help in calming and settling down as the pain is reduced.

Taking Care of Baby Teeth

Baby teeth are subjected to fall but that does not mean they can be neglected from good oral health practices.

#1. Dental Check-Up

Baby’s first dentist visit should be planned around one year of age and even though they have very fewer teeth during that time, a dentist can discuss your cleaning habits and ways to improve oral care. Dental visits should be planned regularly.

#2. Brushing

As soon as babies get their first tooth, brushing should be a part of their daily routine. Good fluoride toothpaste should be used in a very little quantity. This good practice will act as the foundation for their complete dental care in future. Even if the baby is not the fan of brushing, a clean cloth with little toothpaste could be used to rub against the teeth to clean it.

Also Read: 25 Essential Habits that Parents must Teach their Kids

#3. Avoiding Sweets

Cavities can be a big problem in any person. Laying a strong base to avoid cavities is very important. Reduce the amount of sweet food provided to the babies. Cleaning the mouth with water after eating sugary food can help.

#4. Avoid going to Bed with a Drink

The practice of going to bed with a drink like milk, health drink or juice should be avoided. The sugar content is these liquids form the layer over the teeth during the night and can bring in teeth problems in later stages.

The Bottom Line

Teething can be worse during night time as the babies are tired by end of the day and there are not very much happening around during that time, so babies cry and fuss constantly and this might cause disruptions in their normal sleep cycle.

No matter how much sleepless you go, please do not try unapproved methods of teething pain relief on babies as this can bring in huge side effects. All the hugs and sleepless nights are worthwhile and babies are the joy that can overcome any difficulties.

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