Teething involves the movement of milk teeth - also known as baby teeth, primary teeth, or deciduous teeth - up, and then through a baby's gums, and although it's completely natural and normal, it can be painful for babies and, in turn, stressful for their parents and caregivers.
To help you understand more about the timeline of teething, we've created this guide to help you understand when teething starts, which of your baby's teeth will appear first, how many teeth they'll have, and when they'll eventually lose their baby teeth and get their permanent adult teeth.
Is my baby teething at three months?
It's common for parents to wonder ���is my baby teething?��� from as early as three months of age, and the truth is, all babies start teething at slightly different times.
For some little ones, their teething signs and symptoms can begin as early as three months old, while others don't start teething until after their first birthday. Usually, babies start showing symptoms of teething when they're around six months old, with their two bottom, front teeth appearing first.
How long does baby teething last?
Here's a rough guide to how a baby's teeth emerge and how long teething usually lasts.
- Bottom incisors (bottom front teeth): These are usually the first teeth to appear, usually at around six to 10 months.
- Top incisors (top front teeth): These usually come through from about eight to 12 months.
- Top lateral incisors (either side of the top front teeth): These appear at around nine to 13 months.
- Bottom lateral incisors (either side of the bottom front teeth): These come through at around 10 to 16 months.
- First molars (back teeth): These come through at around 13 to 19 months.
- Canines (often known as the 'fang' or 'eye tooth'): These come through at around 16 to 23 months.
- Second molars: These come through at around 20 to 30 months.
When will my baby stop teething?
Most little ones will have all 20 of their milk teeth by the time they're around three years old.
When do you start brushing baby teeth?
You should aim to brush your baby's teeth as soon as they appear through their gums, both in the morning and before bed.
How many baby teeth will my baby have?
By the time they've stopped teething, young children have 20 milk teeth in total. That's 10 on the top, and 10 on the bottom.
When do babies lose their first teeth?
A child's 20 milk teeth will usually begin to fall out around the age of six or seven, and they'll gradually be replaced by all 36 of their permanent adult teeth.
