When do babies get their teeth?

On the 21^st of July 2019 my wife Erica and I had our first baby. Connor weighed in at 6lb 12oz and now six months down the line he is getting his first teeth.

The first six months were amazing, however, no one warned me about the number of nappies these little bundles of fun produce. Anyway, I digress. Being a Dentist I have spent my entire career preaching to people about how they need to start brushing their little one’s teeth as soon as they make an appearance. Now that Connor has some baby teeth or primary teeth as we like to call them in the trade, I thought it would be good to write a little blog about my experiences and to answer a few questions on the subject so here we go.

What are baby teeth called?

Baby teeth are sometimes also called milk teeth or primary teeth.

When do babies get their first teeth?

Connor’s first tooth made an appearance on the 30^th of December 2019, when he was just over five months old. Generally speaking, we would expect to see the first teeth coming through around the 6-month mark, however, some babies are born with their first teeth and some may get them later than 6 months.

What order do baby teeth come in?

Usually, we would expect the teeth to come in the following order, however, this is not set in stone, so don’t worry if your baby’s teeth don’t follow this exactly. If you are concerned about things you can call us or visit a Dentist.

• The bottom front two teeth (lower incisors). These usually come in at around 5 to 7 months. 

• The top front two teeth (upper incisors). These usually come in at around 6 to 8 months.

• The top two teeth either side of the upper front two teeth (upper lateral incisors). These usually come through at around 9 to 11 months.

• The bottom two teeth either side of the lower front two teeth (lower lateral incisors). These usually come through at around 10 to 12 months.

• The upper and lower first back teeth (first molars). These usually come through at around 12 to 16 months. 

• The upper and lower canines (the third tooth along). These usually come through at around 16 to 20 months.

• The upper and lower second molars. These usually come through at around 20 to 30 months 

• Most babies will have all of their baby teeth by the time they are 2 ½ years old.

What is an Eruption cyst?

An Eruption cyst is a swelling that can occur on the gum over an erupting tooth. The fluid in the cyst is sometimes clear or can also have a blue appearance. These are quite normal and will go away when the tooth erupts.

If you are concerned in any way with your baby’s teeth please give us a call or contact a Dentist.

Disclaimer: Talk to a Dentist is an advice service. Every patient is different and you all deserve individually focused dental care. This blog should be considered a guide, but always remember it’s best to get in touch with us so we can give you individually focused advice.