If there’s one thing you learn when you become a parent, it’s that there’s no rhyme or reason to when your baby’s teeth will come through.
Some kids will go a year without cutting any teeth, while others (my daughter included) will pop out eight in one go and then not push any more through for months.
Some babies will be in lots of pain with bright red cheeks, while others won’t seem to feel a thing.
When does teething officially start?
You might not want to hear this but for some babies, teething begins from the word go. Yep, that’s right. Some babies can be born with teeth.
Fear not though, this is pretty rare. For most babies, teething starts anywhere from two (sorry, I know) to seven months – but mostly around the six month mark, when weaning onto food typically begins.
If your baby still hasn’t cut a tooth aged one, don’t worry too much. Every baby is different and you can rest assured those pearly whites will be heading to a gum near you soon.
Signs of teething
If you’re one of the lucky ones, your baby might not show any particular symptoms of teething. Unfortunately most of them end up in a bit of discomfort as pushing through teeth can cause:
- sore gums and redness
- a mild temperature
- a flushed cheek
- lots more dribble than usual (and, as a result, dribble rash)
- disturbed sleep
- general unhappiness
- lots of chewing on fingers, toys, anything they can fit in their mouths really.
How to ease teething
We’re in the throes of teething with my one-year-old and I’m yet to find a teething remedy that fully works. Breastfeeding definitely helps, as does Calpol and a bit of Anbesol rubbed on sore gums every now and then.
The NHS recommends offering teething rings to chew on (sticking them in the fridge so they’re nice and cold can work well) and sugar-free painkillers such as paracetamol and ibuprofen.
When I put a call out for teething remedies, multiple parents I spoke to swore by the Ashton & Parsons teething powder. We’ve tried the gel version and that does seem to do something but I’m not sure if it’s actually helping or my daughter just gets distracted by the taste.
Good luck!