When Do Babies Start Teething? A Maternal Health Nurse's Guide

If your little one is suddenly drooling, chewing on everything in sight, and waking more at night, you're probably wondering when do babies start teething — and whether what you're seeing is the real thing. Most babies start teething between 4 and 7 months , though some get their first tooth as early as 3 months and others not until after their first birthday. All of that is normal. This guide, written with input from a Maternal Health Nurse, walks you through the typical teething age , the teething order of baby teeth, the most reliable signs of teething , what to do about teething fever , and the safest ways to soothe a sore little mouth — plus what to avoid. When do babies start teething? The short answer: most babies start teething around 6 months , with a normal range of 4 to 7 months for the first tooth to break through. A small number of babies are born with a tooth already visible called a natal tooth , and others won't cut their first tooth until 12–15 months. Late teething on its own is rarely a concern. By their first birthday, most babies have 6–8 teeth. By age 3, the full set of 20 baby teeth is usually in place. What age do babies start teething? Quick reference 3 months — Drooling and chewing begin often not actual teething yet 4–7 months — First tooth appears, usually a lower front tooth 8–12 months — Upper front teeth follow 12–18 months — First molars 16–22 months — Canines the "pointy" teeth 23–33 months — Second molars complete the set Baby teeth chart: the teething order Baby teeth almost always come through in the same predictable teething order : Lower central incisors bottom front — 6–10 months Upper central incisors top front — 8–12 months Upper lateral incisors — 9–13 months Lower lateral incisors — 10–16 months First molars top and bottom — 13–19 months Canines — 16–22 months Second molars — 23–33 months The first molars and canines are often the hardest stretch for babies — those teeth are bigger and take longer to push through, so symptoms can feel more intense. Signs your baby is teething The most reliable baby teething symptoms are localised to the mouth: Excessive drooling often soaking through bibs Chewing and biting on hands, toys, cot rails — anything they can reach Red, swollen gums, sometimes with a visible white bump where the tooth is about to break through A small, hard lump you can feel by running a clean finger over…