Baby teeth: when, symptoms, and what to do?

Your baby’s first teeth! 

As a parent, you don’t always notice when the first teeth come through. On average, they come around 6 months, but that’s just an average. So what actually are the symptoms and what can you do to help your little one?

When will the teeth appear?

Around six months of age, most babies get their first teeth. But it can be a month or two earlier or it can be (much) later.

Often the lower two incisors show themselves first, usually the bottom ones. Usually, within the first year, the rest of the incisors follow. After about a year, the first molars appear. And between one and a half and two years, the canines find it time to come out. The rest of the teeth will follow when your child is between 2 and 3 years old. He or she then has 20 teeth.

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Symptoms of teething

Some children are much more affected by teething than others. It can also vary from tooth to tooth. To make it even more complicated: the symptoms are not exactly the same for every baby. Some babies drool all over the place, others have very red cheeks and a bit of a fever, while other babies are more fussy and weepy.

You can feel and see for yourself

You can usually feel and see that a tooth is about to come through. With many other symptoms, it can be difficult to determine what is due to the teeth and what is not. Such as earache, fever, or diarrhea. In any case, with fever and diarrhea, always make sure it doesn’t last too long, and if in doubt, please contact your doctor.

Start brushing!

When the first teeth come through, you can start brushing right away. Be sure to use a special baby toothbrush. These are soft. Baby toothpaste also comes in handy because it does not contain as much fluoride. If you prefer not to use fluoride at all, there are special baby toothpastes for that as well.

Brushing once a day is sufficient for the first year. Of course, it is wise to do it after the last feeding.

Want to know everything about your baby’s mental development and find out how you can stimulate this? Download The Wonder Weeks app or buy the book.

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