A milestone: the first tooth!

Teething

The very first tooth is a huge milestone for your infant! It marks the start of a new phase. Most infants start teething between five and six months, though this can begin earlier or later. When your child starts to get a new tooth, this will not go unnoticed. From lots of drooling to wanting to chew on everything; there are lots of signs that your infant is teething. Suddenly, you’ll see a little white tip in your baby’s mouth and the first tooth will appear!

On this page you’ll find..

When does it start?
Symptoms
Help
Articles
More about infants

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When do infants start teething?

When do infants start teething?

Most infants start teething at around the age of six months. However, this is different for every baby. One infant may get the first tooth as early as three months, while another may not start teething until around eight months or later. Leaps in mental development do not always coincide with physical developments such as teething. Read all about the mental developments in our Wonder Weeks app.

Some babies get new teeth one at a time, while others get several teeth at the same time. Teething can lead to new challenges. We’ll tell you all about what to expect when the first baby teeth come through.

Symptoms of teething in infants

Symptoms of teething in infants

Teething can cause a number of symptoms in your infant. Especially with the first tooth, though also when the first molars appear. Your infant may experience quite a bit of pain when a tooth is being pushed through the gums. The most common symptoms of teething are biting and drooling.

Your infant will develop a strong need to chew and bite. Other symptoms of teething are that your infant will want to drink less, sleep more poorly or even be more hungry. Babies also often pull on their ears and rub their cheeks when teething.

Help, my infant is teething!

Infant teething relief

To help your infant when teething, you can give them a teething ring, which you can chill before letting your baby chew on it. Your child may also be drooling a lot, which can lead to a rash on cheeks or around the mouth.

Gently dab your infant’s mouth or chin dry to prevent a rash from developing. Use a bib so that your child’s clothing does not get too wet and dirty. If your baby is in a lot of pain, you can give him or her paracetamol (in suppository form). There are also special drops and gels that can alleviate pain and have a cooling sensation on gums. There’s not a whole lot more you can do when your infant is teething except for lots of comforting cuddles and responding to their extra need for attention.

Brushing infant teeth

Start brushing as soon as the first tooth has come in. Taking care of your child’s teeth is very important. Use a toothbrush with soft bristles, a little water and a bit of fluoride toothpaste that is suitable for babies from age 0. It’s best to brush your baby’s teeth twice a day, but once a day is sufficient until the age of two. Make sure to brush your infant’s teeth in the evening before bedtime. Saliva protects teeth, but we produce less saliva when sleeping. Brush your infant’s teeth after the last feeding.

Brush with small circular movements and you can also brush the gums where there are no teeth yet. This not only removes harmful residue from the mouth, but also gently massages the gums, which can provide some pain relief during teething.