Baby Teeth Eruption Chart Tracker

Primary teeth erupt in a broadly predictable order but on a famously variable timetable. The sequence matters more than the calendar: teeth almost always arrive lower-before-upper and front-to-back, while the age at which any given tooth appears can differ between two healthy children by six months or more. A chart is useful for knowing what comes next, not for judging whether a child is on schedule.

Eruption and shedding timetable

The twenty primary teeth typically begin arriving around six months and finish by about age three. They then shed in roughly the same order they arrived, starting around age six, as the permanent teeth beneath them resorb their roots. The ranges below are the conventional ones used in paediatric dentistry.

• Teeth generally erupt in pairs, one on each side, and the lower tooth of a pair usually arrives before its upper counterpart.
• A full set of twenty primary teeth is normally complete somewhere between age two and a half and three.

What teething actually causes

Teething reliably produces drooling, gum irritation, chewing on objects, and irritability in the days around an eruption. What it does not produce is fever, diarrhoea, vomiting or rash. Studies tracking infants through eruption find at most a very small rise in temperature, well below the threshold for fever, which means an unwell, febrile infant needs an explanation other than teething.

Symptom relief is deliberately low-tech. Chilled, not frozen, teething rings and firm rubbing of the gum with a clean finger are what paediatric guidance recommends. Topical anaesthetic gels containing benzocaine carry a risk of methaemoglobinaemia in infants and are advised against, and homeopathic teething tablets have been the subject of safety warnings over inconsistent belladonna content.

• Treat a fever above 38C in an infant as a possible infection needing assessment, never as teething.
• Amber teething necklaces present a strangulation and choking risk and have no demonstrated benefit.

Caring for teeth before and after they arrive

Dental guidance is to wipe the gums with a clean damp cloth even before the first tooth, and to start brushing with a smear of fluoride toothpaste as soon as a tooth is visible. The first dental visit is recommended by the first birthday or within six months of the first tooth, whichever comes first, which is considerably earlier than most parents expect.

The single largest preventable risk to primary teeth is prolonged contact with sweetened liquid, including milk and juice, particularly overnight in a bottle. Primary teeth matter beyond chewing: they hold space for the permanent teeth, and early loss to decay can lead to crowding that needs orthodontic correction later.

Limitations

• Eruption timing varies widely between healthy children. A tooth arriving several months either side of the range shown is common and not by itself a problem.
• A small number of infants are born with a natal tooth, and some children have no teeth at all at twelve months; both usually turn out to be normal variants but are worth mentioning to a clinician.
• The chart describes typical sequence and timing only. It cannot assess spacing, alignment, enamel quality or decay, all of which need an in-person dental examination.
• Markedly delayed eruption, with no teeth by around 18 months, can occasionally reflect an underlying condition and is a reason for a dental or paediatric assessment rather than continued waiting.
• Shedding ages assume normal eruption of the permanent successor. A primary tooth lost early to trauma or decay does not follow this timetable.
• This is a general reference, not an assessment of any individual child.

Frequently asked questions

When do babies get their first tooth?

Most often between six and ten months, usually a lower central incisor. Anywhere from three months to over a year can be normal, and the order of arrival is a better guide than the age.

Does teething cause fever?

No. Studies following infants through eruption find at most a very small temperature rise that does not reach the threshold for fever. An infant with a genuine fever needs to be assessed for infection rather than assumed to be teething.

What helps a teething baby?

A chilled, not frozen, teething ring, firm gum rubbing with a clean finger, and if needed an age-appropriate dose of paracetamol or ibuprofen. Benzocaine gels are advised against in infants, and amber necklaces carry strangulation and choking risks.

When should a child first see a dentist?

By the first birthday, or within six months of the first tooth appearing, whichever comes first. The early visit is mainly about prevention advice and establishing a dental home rather than treatment.

Do baby teeth matter if they fall out anyway?

Yes. They are needed for chewing and speech, and they hold space for the permanent teeth. Losing them early to decay is a common cause of crowding that later needs orthodontic correction.

References

1. American Dental Association, MouthHealthy. Eruption charts.
2. Nanci A et al. Anatomy, Head and Neck, Tooth Eruption. StatPearls, NCBI Bookshelf.
3. American Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org. Teething: 4 to 7 Months.
4. MedlinePlus. Teething.