Surfacing of New Teeth in Children

Your child’s first tooth surfaces between age 6-12 months and the rest of their twenty primary or “baby” teeth typically surface by age Three. In this time, gums may feel tender and sore, causing your child to feel irritable. To help relieve this pain, we recommend that you soothe the gums by rubbing a clean finger or a cool, wet cloth across them. You may also select to use a teething ring. Do not give your child teething cookies as most contain sugar and starch which promotes tooth decay. Teething doesn’t cause fevers. If your baby has a fever or diarrhea while teething, treat it accordingly as you would at any other time. Contact your family physician if you become concerned.

Your child’s first teeth are shed at varied times throughout childhood, and their permanent teeth begin surfacing at age Six and continue until age Twenty-one. Adults have Twenty-eight permanent teeth, or 32 including wisdom teeth.