Watching babies grow is pure magic. From the moment they are born, their weight doubles by 5-6 months, and triple by the time they turn one. Observing them learn to recognize you, smile, roll over, sit up, and stand is like nothing I have ever experienced in the past. However, many other things are happening in their development that are less obvious, at least at the beginning. And one of them is teething. 

When Do Babies Start Teething?

The average age of the eruption of the first tooth in babies is around 6 months. However, it can happen as early as 3 months or as late as 14 months as it depends on a variety of factors. For instance, if a baby was born before 37 weeks gestation, that makes the infant premature, and teething among other milestones could be delayed. 

This chart will help you get an idea of when to expect each teeth to start appearing. All teeth, including the second molar, should be visible before toddlers turn three years old.

Image via
mouthhealthy.com

If your baby turns one and there’s no signs of teething, experts recommend visiting a pediatric dentist. And if teething happened as expected, you can consider visiting a pediatric dentist 6 months after your baby’s first teeth erupt. 

Signs Of Teething In Babies

As you might already know, teething is not the most joyous of milestones. It’s not hard to know even if this is your first child, as teething horror stories are not scarce.

Just remember that this is a painful process for your baby, so bear that in mind when accompanying him through this exciting development in his mouth.

Teething signs can begin at 3 months of age, even if the tooth does not appear right away. Here’s what to expect:

  • Plenty of crankiness and irritability
  • The excessive need to bite and chew on things, including their own fingers
  • Lots of drooling
  • Gums could look swollen with or without any lumps
  • Sleep regression and poor napping
  • Lack of interest in eating 
  • Slight temperature increase but not to the point of a fever

The severity of the symptoms will not be the same in every child and can last from days to weeks. Also, some babies don’t seem to be affected at all, so no need to freak out if a tooth came out, and you didn’t see any of these signs. Just celebrate that your baby (and you) are #blessed. 

Baby Teething Remedies

There are many ways to ease this process for your baby as they begin teething. If you are part of mom groups on Facebook, you will find plenty of teething remedies talked about and recommended. However, you should always take those with a grain of salt and proceed with caution.

We recommend trying the below proven baby teething remedies before trying anything else. 

  • Apply cleaned and chilled objects to provide a cooling sensation to your baby’s gums. It could be a teething ring or something similar that can get the job done. Place the item in the fridge, so it is chilled (do not put it in the freezer). This way, when your baby chews on the chilled teething ring, it can provide some relief.
  • Rub the baby’s gums with your fingers. If you want to relieve your baby’s teething pain by rubbing their gums, be sure to wash your hands with soap and water well first. Then gently rub your baby’s gums to help relieve some of the pressure. You can use wet gauze as well if you prefer. 
  • Add chamomile tea to the rub. Chamomile has some relieving and calming effects. Use caffeine-free chamomile tea to dip your clean fingers into while rubbing the baby’s gums. You can add some tea into a teething mesh as well. 
  • If all else fails, you can try over-the-counter relievers. Although infant medications are generally safe, consult the baby’s pediatrician first. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Motrin or Advil) are the most popular options.

Here are a few things that you should not do:

  • Do not give your baby pain relievers that contain lidocaine or benzocaine as they can cause serious health complications.
  • Do not use homeopathic pain relievers such as gels as they contain herbs that can cause seizures such as belladonna.
  • Do not buy teething bracelets, anklets, or necklaces as those have been linked to serious injuries and gum infections.

If you know of other proven teething remedies, feel free to share those in the comments! And before trying something you have never heard before, be sure to talk to your pediatrician first.