Your baby’s first tooth is a momentous milestone—an early sign that they are growing and developing right on track. As a parent, you’ll have many questions about what to expect when it comes to the appearance, eruption, and care of your baby’s teeth. From the order in which baby teeth come in to teething troubles like jagged edges and spacing issues, we’ve got you covered with everything you need to know.
The Baby Teeth Chart: When Do They Come In?
Baby teeth, also known as primary teeth, typically begin to emerge between six months and one year. However, every child is different, and some babies may get their first tooth earlier or later. Most babies have all 20 of their baby teeth by age 3. Here’s a general timeline:
- Lower central incisors: 6-10 months
- Upper central incisors: 8-12 months
- Upper lateral incisors: 9-13 months
- Lower lateral incisors: 10-16 months
- First molars (top and bottom): 13-19 months
- Canines (cuspids): 16-22 months
- Second molars (top and bottom): 23-31 months
If your child’s teeth erupt earlier or later than this range, it’s usually not a cause for concern, but consult your pediatrician if you have any questions.
What to do when your baby gets their first tooth?
The arrival of your baby's first tooth is an exciting milestone! Here's what you should do:
- Oral Hygiene: Begin cleaning the tooth and gums gently with a soft baby toothbrush or clean cloth.
- Nutrition: Ensure your baby continues to receive adequate calcium through breast milk, formula, or other appropriate sources.
- Drooling: Wipe drool frequently to prevent rashes or irritation.
- Complementary Foods: As more teeth appear, introduce age-appropriate complementary foods to support chewing and development.
Baby Teething Troubles
While most babies go through a relatively straightforward teething process, sometimes things don’t follow the textbook. Here are a few common issues that can crop up:
- Teething Symptoms: Swollen gums, irritability, drooling, and an increased desire to chew on things are all normal signs your baby is teething. You might also notice slight changes in their sleep patterns or appetite.
- Serrated or Jagged Teeth: Occasionally, baby teeth can come in with a jagged edge, making them look slightly serrated. This can happen if a tooth erupts at an unusual angle or if there’s a bit of extra pressure from surrounding teeth. Generally, these edges smooth out as the teeth continue to grow and settle into their places. However, if the jaggedness causes discomfort or seems unusual, consult your pediatric dentist.
- Shark Teeth: If your child is losing baby teeth but still has their permanent teeth coming in behind them, you’re dealing with "shark teeth." This phenomenon can be alarming, but it’s fairly common and usually resolves on its own once the baby tooth falls out naturally. In some cases, your dentist may recommend removing a baby tooth to ensure that the permanent tooth has room to come in properly.
- Teeth Coming In Out of Order: It’s normal for teeth to come in at different times or in a different order than expected. For instance, you may notice the upper teeth coming in before the lower ones, or a lateral incisor before the central one. This is usually just a variation of normal development, but if you’re concerned, your dentist can offer reassurance.
- Baby Teeth Spacing and Alignment: You might notice that your baby’s two front teeth are spaced farther apart than you would expect or even that there appear to be two rows of teeth. This could be because baby teeth are smaller than permanent ones, and spacing issues are fairly common. Don’t panic—baby teeth usually have some room to wiggle around, and they tend to shift naturally as the jaw grows and the permanent teeth come in. If your baby’s teeth seem to be coming in odd positions or with unusual spacing, a visit to the dentist can provide some peace of mind. In many cases, any concerns about alignment or spacing will resolve as the permanent teeth take over the role of the baby teeth.
How to relieve teething pain in babies?
Parents can help relieve their infant's teething pain through various methods such as distraction, gentle gum massage, and offering teething rings or bars.
- divert attention: infants may appear during the first growth of teeth drooling, swollen gums phenomenon, at this time parents can accompany the baby to play with toys, play parent-child games, etc. to divert its attention, is conducive to alleviate the above phenomenon.
- massage: parents can clean hands, and then gently press the baby's dental bed, the pressure and teeth outward growth of the pressure offset, in favor of alleviating the phenomenon of swollen gums, sensitivity.
- eat teething sticks: parents can also give the baby to eat some teething sticks, can relieve the phenomenon of itchy gums or swollen gums when teething.
- use pacifiers：parents can also be relieved through the use of pacifiers, which is conducive to relieving the discomfort caused by teething.
Is it OK if baby doesn't eat while teething?
Babies do not love to eat during teething is a normal phenomenon, parents can go through the following aspects to improve this symptom:
- small baby just grows the first tooth, teething parts will be uncomfortable, saliva increased, this time you can give the baby with a teething stick or teething cookies to help the new tooth eruption, the new teeth after the head of the baby's appetite will be good.
- diet can be a little bit harder to increase chewing power, rich in color, choose the baby usually likes to eat the food. In addition, pay attention to the amount of calcium supplement.
- Toys can also choose safe items that can grind teeth to promote tooth eruption.
When to Start Brushing Baby Teeth
Even before your baby’s first tooth erupts, it’s a good idea to start a dental hygiene routine. Wipe your baby’s gums with a clean, soft washcloth after feedings to remove any lingering food particles. Once that first tooth comes through, use a soft-bristled, infant-sized toothbrush and a tiny smear of fluoride toothpaste. Start brushing your baby’s teeth twice a day to help set the foundation for good oral hygiene habits that will last a lifetime.
Conclusion
Watching your little one’s baby teeth come in is a fun and fascinating journey. However, teething can also bring some bumps along the way—literally and figuratively. It’s important to remember that each child’s experience with teething is unique. From occasional jagged edges to the appearance of shark teeth, most teething troubles are just a normal part of growing up. If you have concerns about your child’s teething development or notice unusual symptoms, don’t hesitate to consult a pediatric dentist for guidance. The road to a healthy smile is paved with care, and the earlier you start, the brighter their future grin will be!
