Between 4 and 7 months, baby begins to come out one or more teeth. More or less painful and responsible for minor ailments, they go unnoticed in some but are very painful in others. Find out how your child’s teeth appear and develop.

On average, it is around the age of 6 months that the first teething is noticeable. But some babies are born with one or two teeth right off the bat (although quite rare), and others have to wait until they are one year old to see the first baby tooth or primary tooth. Each child is different, so there is no need to worry prematurely.

As for the majority of young, it is therefore from their 6 months of life that certain warning symptoms appear. To help you spot these signs, here are the average ages of onset of different baby teeth:

• Between 6 and 12 months, the lower incisors then the upper ones appear;
• Between 9 and 13 months, these are the lateral incisors;
• From 13 months (and up to around 18 months) painful molars appear;
• Around the 16th month and up to the 2 years of the child come the canines;
• Finally, between the baby’s 2 and 3 years, it is the turn of the last teeth to come out: the second molars (those at the back of the mouth).

At around 3 years of age, the child therefore has 20 visible primary teeth (he has no premolars, this is completely normal), while internally, it is the 32 permanent teeth that develop. They will appear gradually between 6 and 16 years old and will gradually replace the baby’s teeth which will fall out one after the other.

These teething are most often accompanied by small ailments sometimes discreet, but sometimes very painful according to the babies. First, the baby salivates a lot and places its fingers, hand or any toy in its mouth to nibble it. He is irritable, tired, and cries a lot for no apparent reason. His cheeks are more or less red depending on the day and he eats and sleeps less than usual. Sometimes if you look at their gums you will notice that they appear swollen, tight and red or even present as a bluish pimple, called a “rash cyst” (this is a kind of bubble announcing the imminent arrival of a tooth).

No other complication should normally accompany the coming out of a tooth, but it happens quite often that fever or diarrhea associated with red buttocks erupt at the same time as the arrival of the teeth. These are fairly standard phenomena, but if in doubt, speak to your pediatrician without delay.

With raw and sometimes very swollen gums, the baby tries to nibble and chew on any toy. To relieve it, do not hesitate to leave it a cold teething ring after placing it in the refrigerator for a few hours (never in the freezer). This allows the painful area to be slightly anesthetized.

Also remember to comfort and cuddle him. Babies aren’t really prepared for pain and need their parents to help them cope with these painful times. With a maximum of hugs, your reassured child will have an easier time going through this period. You can also lightly and delicately massage her gums with a cold, damp cloth wrapped around your finger (always choose a clean cloth and wash your hands well).

Because her teeth are precious (including the first ones), it is ideal to get your baby used to brushing them from an early age. So you can start rubbing her gums with a washcloth even before the first one arrives. Then it will be easier for you to get it used to regular brushing.

To do this, always have a vertical movement from the gum to the teeth and let the child rinse his mouth and spit out if he is old enough. Make this moment of dental hygiene a real rendezvous for the little one, by also brushing your teeth which will encourage him and promote the phenomenon of imitation.

And don’t forget that to keep beautiful teeth, your child must limit sugars, especially in toddlers.