Baby teeth: everything you need to know about teething

The appearance of the first teeth often comes with minor discomfort and pain. Parents don’t always know how to respond to crying when baby is teething. How can you soothe them?

Let’s take stock of teething! ?

At what age do infants start getting teeth?

A baby’s first teeth generally appear around 6 months of age. However, that’s not always the case. The first tooth can appear anytime between 4 and 14 months. Conversely, some babies are even born with one or two teeth.

After the first baby tooth appears, your baby’s other twenty baby teeth will gradually come in (about one tooth per month):

• Between 6 and 12 months: the lower incisors, then the upper incisors
• Between 7 and 16 months: the lateral incisors
• Between 12 and 19 months: the first molars
• Between 16 and 23 months: the canines
• Between 20 and 33 months: the second molars

At about 3 years of age, your child will have all their baby teeth and will keep them until the permanent teeth appear around age 5.

What are the symptoms of teething?

All baby teeth must break through the gums to appear in the baby’s mouth. In addition to swollen gums, this teething process can be accompanied by a few symptoms:

• Excessive drooling
• Red cheeks
• Red bottom (diaper rash)
• Swollen gums
• Change in appetite
• Change in transit (stools)
• Disrupted sleep
• Mild fever
• Baby is grumpy and may be in pain
• Seeks to chew and bite objects
• A small hematoma forming a painful little blue bubble on the gum, or eruption cyst (it signals an imminent breakthrough)

Rest assured, the symptoms are temporary and fade once the tooth has broken through the gum. Babies all react differently to teething because each child experiences dental pain differently. It can be painful and uncomfortable—or go completely unnoticed!

Want to learn more? Feel free to download the May app, where you’ll find plenty of resources to support and guide you throughout your journey as a new parent.

How can you soothe teething pain in infants?

No medication is necessary to relieve pain during teething. You need to be present for your baby and try to calm them whenever they cry or get fussy.

However, certain techniques can help relieve your baby’s dental pain:

• Gum massage: massaging sore gums with your finger or a silicone fingertip and a soothing solution as a local massage is effective in easing the pain and discomfort created by tooth eruption. Be sure to wash your hands beforehand! Health professionals often recommend Hyalugel “1ères dents” for soothing because it has an anti-inflammatory action.
• Teething ring: it allows your baby to satisfy their need to bite. Teething rings are available in pharmacies. Prefer models that are large enough to ensure the baby can’t put the whole thing in their mouth. It’s advisable to avoid teething rings that contain liquid. As a precaution, avoid attaching the ring around your baby’s neck.
• Homeopathy: Camilia in single doses (3 to 6 doses per day) or Chamomilla Vulgaris granules can be given to your baby. Ask your pharmacist for advice, as Arnica is sometimes preferred.
• Foot reflexology: this involves massaging the area below your baby’s toenails using small circular motions. This massage can be repeated two to three times per day.
• Paracetamol such as Doliprane or Dafalgan may be given to your baby if prescribed by your doctor. If the pain persists, consult your pediatrician!
• Also… Cold (chilled or frozen foods), dry foods, elevating the head of the bed, cuddles, and babywearing as much as you like!

When should a baby see a dentist for the first time?

In France, the national health insurance offers free dentist appointments for children starting at age 3. That said, it’s recommended to schedule the first dentist visit at one year of age to ensure that the jaw is doing well and dental development is on track.

❗It’s quite common for parents to attribute certain ailments to teething. The risk is that parents might miss a possible underlying condition. It’s recommended to consult a healthcare professional as soon as:

• severe pain still does not subside
• a persistent or poorly tolerated fever above 38.5°C is observed

• your baby shows unusual behavior (lethargic, grumpy, drowsy, sleeps a lot and has difficulty waking up)
• profuse diarrhea appears

How do you care for an infant’s teeth? Should you brush them?

It’s quite simple to take care of your baby’s teeth. Don’t hesitate to buy a baby toothbrush or an appropriate fingertip brush. You can start brushing with a little toothpaste. It’s recommended to apply an amount equivalent to a grain of rice of low-fluoride toothpaste such as Elmex Enfant. Only from age 2 can you apply an amount equivalent to a small pea.

The best way to take care of your infant’s teeth is to promote a healthy, varied diet. Snacking, bottles of fruit juice, or sugary drinks are not recommended to avoid early cavities (also known as baby bottle syndrome).

Your baby is growing, and the appearance of teeth is part of that development. Rest assured, the pain related to teething is not permanent—only temporary! ?

This text was translated from French by an artificial intelligence. The information, advice, and sources it contains comply with French standards and may therefore not apply to your situation. Make sure to complement this reading by visiting the May US/UK app and consulting the healthcare professionals who are supporting you.