When do Babies Start Teething?

Every parent loves watching their child’s body grow and develop but occasionally, processes like teething could be extremely painful – for both parent and child.

Teething is usually very uncomfortable and comes with a lot of tears and sleepless nights, although there isn’t exactly a specific age for every child to start teething.

Most babies start teething at 4-7 months while some may start later on by 7-9 months. Your child will mostly likely have a full set of their first teeth by age 3. The exact age when your baby starts teething could also be hereditary. Uncommonly, a few babies are born with one or two teeth, it occurs in about 1 in 6000 to 1 in 800 cases.

Some babies, however, are early teethers and may start showing signs of teething as early as 2-3 months old. If this happens, you have absolutely nothing to worry about.

The bottom two teeth are usually the first to appear and when they do, you should use a small, soft bristled toothbrush to clean around the teeth. You could also use a clean, damp, soft cloth to clean your baby’s gums daily.

When your baby is about to start teething, they are likely to show you some symptoms such as:
– Drooling
– Chewing on different objects
– Irritability
– Sore/tender gums
– Slightly elevated temperature to around 99°F(37.2°C). A temperature above this could be a symptom of something else.

Vomiting and diarrhoea are not normal symptoms of teething. If your child presents these symptoms, consult your pediatrician.

Some babies do go through teething without showing any symptoms. If your baby is yet to start teething by 18 months, you should take them to see a pediatric dentist for proper evaluation. In very rare cases, extremely late teething could be caused by an underlying health condition like malnutrition, vitamin deficiency or hypoactive thyroid.

Soothing Your Child While Teething:
I. Gently massage your baby’s gums with a clean finger or with knuckles.
II. Hold a cold, clean cloth or spoon on your baby’s gums.
III. Use plastic or rubber toys that are chilled, never frozen solid.

No matter the temptation, try to avoid teething necklaces or bracelets made of amber, wood or silicon. They could easily become choking hazards.