What Is Teething?

Teething is the process during which your baby's teeth begin to break through the gums. Your child is born with all twenty of its milk teeth; you just can't see them, as they are submerged beneath its gums.

Occasionally, some infants are born with one or two of their teeth already protruding, or a tooth can emerge within the first few weeks. Unless the tooth is loose - in which case there is a risk of choking - it is not something to be worried about; just get it checked out by your doctor. Exactly when a baby starts to teeth can be hard to pin-point. Teething can begin as early as three months or as late as one year. If your child begins teething before 3 months or hasn't begun teething by one year of age you should probably see your doctor. Again, there is no need to panic; each baby is unique. However, most babies begin the teething process somewhere between five and seven months. It can take several years for all of your child's deciduous (milk teeth) to appear. The first teeth to appear are usually the two bottom front teeth, also known as the central incisors. These are usually followed one or two months later by the four front upper teeth (central and lateral incisors). About 1 month later, the lower lateral incisors (the two teeth flanking the bottom front teeth) will appear. Next to break through the gums are the first molars (the back teeth used for grinding food), then finally the eyeteeth (the pointy teeth in the upper jaw). Most children have all 20 of their primary teeth by their third birthday.

Cutting the first tooth is usually the most painful or uncomfortable for a child. Having said that, it can also be the emerging of the larger molars that can cause the most discomfort. You'll no doubt have noticed just how important the mouth is to your baby. More than any other part of the body, your child explores their world using its mouth. Even if the emerging tooth is not painful, it certainly will be a distraction for your baby and can cause the crankiness you see. As an adult you will know the feeling of annoyance when you get a new filling, bite the side of your mouth or simply have a piece of food stuck between your teeth. Now imagine how it must be to experience this for the first time; the feeling of distraction increased many fold.

Despite what you might think, teething doesn't stop when your child has their full set of milk teeth. From around the age of six the permanent (adult teeth) will begin to appear, and the symptoms - and problems - of teething may appear a second time round. First will appear the central incisors, then about a year later, the lateral incisors. At around nine to ten years, the first and second premolar (Bicuspid) will push through. Your child should have his canine teeth about the age of twelve.

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What Is Teething?