Your Child's First Teeth: What Parents Should Know

When Baby Teeth Arrive

Most babies get their first tooth around six months of age, though anywhere from a few months to a year can be normal. The lower front teeth usually appear first, and most children have all twenty baby teeth by about age three.

Teething can cause fussiness, drooling, and a desire to chew. A clean, chilled teething ring or gently rubbing the gums with a clean finger may soothe discomfort. Check with your pediatrician before using any teething medications.

Why Baby Teeth Are Important

Baby teeth help children chew, speak clearly, and smile with confidence. They also hold space for the permanent teeth developing beneath them. Losing baby teeth too early to decay can affect how adult teeth come in.

Caring for New Teeth

Even before teeth appear, wipe your baby's gums with a soft, damp cloth after feedings. Once the first tooth arrives, brush twice a day with a soft infant toothbrush and a smear of fluoride toothpaste about the size of a grain of rice. Around age three, a pea-sized amount is typically recommended.

Avoid putting your baby to bed with a bottle of milk, formula, or juice, since prolonged contact with sugars can lead to early childhood cavities. Begin flossing when teeth start to touch, and schedule your child's first dental visit by their first birthday.