Navigating the 5 Stages of Teething

Babies go through five stages of teething. Understanding what to expect at each stage can make the entire teething process easier for babies and their caregivers. Here’s what to expect at each stage and tips from children’s dentists on caring for kids’ teeth during this period.

Stage 1- navigating teething from 0-6 months

Your baby already has a complete set of teeth (20 milk teeth) under their gums. Generally, no teeth appear during this stage but don’t be surprised if your baby starts cutting their teeth during this stage. Although there are no teeth now, caring for kid’s teeth begins at this stage. Gently wipe/massage your baby’s gums with a clean and damp tea cloth to remove any milk in the mouth.

Stage 2- navigating teething at 6 months

The upper and lower front teeth are the first to erupt, followed by the incisors. The teething process usually takes about eight days. That includes four days before the tooth erupts, the day the tooth erupts, and four days after the tooth erupts. During this period, you might notice your child needs to chew on things like toys, hands, or any other hard object. It is a natural process – you can help by applying pressure on the gums to relieve pain.

Note: Kids’ oral care becomes even more crucial from now onward. That is the time to plan your child’s first visit to a children’s dentist. A child’s first visit is usually a simple examination.

Stage 3- navigating teething from 10- 14 months

Eight primary molars – four on the upper jaw and four on the lower jaw, appear at this stage. Some common symptoms include more crankiness and irritability because of pain, more drooling, a change in sleep patterns, and a need to chew on hard things. If you are giving your child a teething ring, do not freeze it. Frozen teething rings can hurt your baby’s gums. Instead, refrigerate. Plastic teethers filled with liquid are unsafe as they could leak into your baby’s mouth.

A children’s dentist can prescribe a pain-relieving gel to help ease the pain.

Stage 4- navigating teething from 16-22 months

During this stage, the canine teeth – the sharp teeth between the incisors and the molars, will erupt. Keep your child comfortable with pressure on the gums; chilled teething rings, unsweetened teething rusks, and sugar-free teething biscuits can all help. Kids’ oral care continues to be necessary.

Suppose your child is due for a children’s dental checkup. In that case, you can talk to a children’s dentist about using over-the-counter pain relievers.

Stage 5- navigating teething from 25-33 months

This can be the most painful and uncomfortable teething stage because the largest teeth – the molars erupt during this stage. Your baby is older now, and you might find that what helped calm your baby during the first four stages does not work during this stage.

By now, your baby has the necessary teeth to chew hard and small pieces of vegetables that can be soothing and nutritious. You can talk to your child’s dentist about this during their routine children’s dental checkup.

Note: Never leave your child unsupervised or unattended with a piece of vegetable, as these can be a choking hazard.

Caring for kid’s teeth begins even before the first tooth erupts. A children’s dental checkup is necessary yearly after your child’s first visit. Contact a kids’ oral care specialist if your baby’s first tooth does not erupt by one year of age.