When your baby is teething, it can be hard for them and for you. Learn how to spot teething signs, what to expect from this stage of development and how you can make your infant more comfortable.
Your baby’s first tooth is a milestone you’ve been eagerly awaiting, probably with camera poised. But for your infant, it may not be quite so exciting as their first teeth grow through their gums. While your baby experiences the symptoms of teething, they don’t have the words to tell you what they’re feeling.
As a parent, the best way to help your infant is to be on the lookout for common teething signs, understand what’s happening and learn some remedies that can help ease this transition for your little one.
Top 3 teething signs
1. Dribblingxxiv: Is your baby drooling more than usual?
2. Gnawingxxiv:Is your child chewing on everything in sight?
3. Cryingxxiv: Has your little cherub turned into a grump?
Some teething symptoms, like your baby gnawing on everything they can get their hands on, may be obvious. Others, however, can be confused with other conditions. You may wonder, for example, if your infant’s cheeks are flushed, is it fever, teething or something else? That’s when you’ll want to look for a grouping of symptoms that may point one way or another.
Many of the symptoms make teething an uncomfortable process - although your baby may be lucky and feel little or no discomforti at all. Learning the most common teething signs will help you ease their symptoms if and when they do appear.
Common teething signs you may notice:
What is teething and at what age does it start?
Your baby may start teething as early as four months old, with all 20 baby teeth usually coming through by the time they are two orviii three. But if your little one’s teeth are a little slower to appear, there’s no need for concern. Bear in mind that babies all develop at different paces and they won’t all get their first teeth at the same age.
Your baby’s primary teeth begin to develop while they are still inside the womb. When they were born, your baby already had a complete set of 20 primary teeth (10 upper and 10 lower) hidden in their gums. Teething is their journey as they ‘erupt’ and break through the gums. These first teeth are also known as primary, baby, milk or deciduousix teeth.
The process of teething can take up to eight days for each tooth, which includes four days before and three days after the tooth pushes throughx the gum. Baby teething typically starts with their bottom two front teeth, followed by their top two front ones, and then their other teeth along the sides and back.
While there’s no standard baby teething age, the following babies teething chart may help you get a general idea of what to expect.
Babies teething chart for trackingxi development
There are lots of remedies available to help ease your baby’s discomfort through the teething process. Remember, your baby can’t tell you what they’re feeling, so you’ll have to rely on trial and error to see what works for your little one.
For their sake and yours, you’ll want to make sure your baby gets through this phase with as few tears as possible. You’re excited about your baby’s first teeth coming in because it means they’ll be able to chew solid food, pronounce words and flash a winningxii mile. Your baby, however, only understands what they’re feeling—and it’s not good. Here’s how to help.
There are some remedies you can try to help alleviate the discomfort of teething.