As a parent or caregiver, your natural instinct is to comfort a crying baby. Suspect teething as the problem if your baby is
- 4-7 months (6 months average)
Look for redness, swelling, and the arrival of the lower central incisors in the middle of the bottom gums - 8-12 months (8 months average)
Feel for the upper central incisors in the upper middle gums is the culprit - 9-12 months
Check for the upper lateral incisors to bracket the top two teeth - 10-16 months
Suspect the lower lateral incisors will soon frame the lower two teeth - 13-19 months (15 months average)
Look for the upper first molars to erupt through both top gums - 14-18 months
Be ready for the lower first molars to break through shortly after their uppers - 16-22 months (18 months average)
Prepare for the appearance of the sharp upper canines or cuspids, bracketing the existing upper front teeth - 17-23 months
Peek and see if you can detect the arrival of the lower cuspids - 23-31 months (26 months average)
Watch for the second (very back) lower molars to appear - 25-33 months
Know that the second upper molars appear shortly after their lower counterparts
Somewhere between 24-36 months of age, your child will have all 20 baby teeth in roughly the same time frame as you, the parents, had them appear (thanks to genetics). You will then need to discover other reasons for why your toddler is crying.
In the meantime, ease those sore gums with
- A cold, clean washcloth to chew on
- Rubbing with your clean finger or a cold, clean spoon
- A chilled but not frozen food like applesauce if your child is eating solid food
Do NOT give your child aspirin because of the danger of developing Reye’s syndrome.