Baby Teething Chart: Which Tooth Comes When, and What Helps

Twenty baby teeth arrive over roughly two and a half years, and they don't come in front to back. The first molars usually beat the canines, so a toddler can have a gap beside the front teeth and a sore back gum at the same time. It is also why a teether that worked at 9 months can stop helping at 15.

Below is the American Dental Association's eruption chart, rebuilt tooth by tooth, with the teether shape that can physically reach each part of the mouth.

The baby teeth chart, tooth by tooth

Ranges are in months after birth, from the ADA's primary tooth development chart. Rows run in the usual order of arrival.

How to read the last column: the month ranges are the ADA's. The shape column is practical guidance about what physically reaches each area, not a medical recommendation. No health authority ranks teether shapes by tooth.

Reading the chart without turning it into a countdown

These are reference ranges, not due dates. The AAP says most babies get teeth between 6 and 12 months, and some have none by their first birthday. Its teething guidance adds that timing may run in families, and a late first tooth doesn't mean anything is wrong.

Two patterns worth knowing:

• Lower central incisors usually lead. The AAP calls them almost always the first teeth in.
• The windows overlap. Upper laterals, lower laterals and upper first molars can all be in range in the same month, so a fussy week rarely maps to one tooth.

Most children have all 20 baby teeth by about age 3, according to both the AAP and ADA.

Front teeth vs. molars: one teether rarely reaches both

A baby working on the front eight can mouth almost anything. Molars are a different job: the sore spot sits deep beside the cheek, where a flat disc or chunky ring can't get.

6-16 months: the front eight

Brush-head and flat shapes put texture right where the incisors erupt. The Baby Banana Infant Training Toothbrush → has soft silicone bristles and banana-peel handles a baby can grasp. The Itzy Ritzy Silicone Teether → is a flat, open silicone shape with texture on one side for sore gums.

13-33 months: first molars, canines, second molars

This is when length matters. The Comotomo Silicone Baby Teether → has finger-shaped arms that Comotomo says are long enough to reach the back molars but sized to prevent choking. A clean finger reaches the back gum too, and gum rubbing is the first comfort measure the FDA lists.

Whatever the shape: the FDA's standard is a firm teether, not liquid-filled, never frozen, and always supervised. The ADA adds a warning against plastic objects that could break. All three picks above are solid silicone.

What teething does and doesn't cause

The left column comes from the ADA's list of normal teething symptoms and the AAP's teething guidance, which notes drool can irritate the skin around the mouth. On the right, the ADA names fever, diarrhea and rash as reasons to call. The AAP says teething doesn't change how a baby's gut works, and that extra crying may mean illness.

The line that matters: the AAP says a true fever, over 100.4°F, is not associated with teething and is a sign of illness or infection. A swollen gum never explains a fever away.

What the FDA, AAP and ADA say to skip

• Benzocaine gels and creams. The FDA says they offer little to no benefit and can cause methemoglobinemia, a serious, sometimes fatal drop in the blood's ability to carry oxygen. The ADA says benzocaine or lidocaine numbing gels should not be used in children under 3.
• Lidocaine solutions. Prescription viscous lidocaine can cause seizures, heart problems, severe brain injury and death in young children, per the FDA.
• Homeopathic teething tablets. The FDA warns against them. The ADA notes lab tests found inconsistent amounts of belladonna, a toxic substance, sometimes far above the label.
• Amber necklaces and other teething jewelry. The FDA has reports of deaths and serious injuries, including strangulation and choking. The AAP adds that no research supports them.
• Frozen-solid teethers. A surface that is too hard can hurt gums, per the FDA.
• Unsupervised teething biscuits. The AAP warns chunks break off easily and can cause choking.

Comfort that is on the approved list

1. Rub the gum. Wash your hands, then gently massage the sore spot with a clean finger.
2. Offer a firm teether that reaches the teeth in progress, using the chart above.
3. Go cold, not frozen. The AAP suggests a clean wet or frozen washcloth to chew; the FDA says the teething ring itself should not be frozen.
4. Ask before medicine. If your baby is clearly uncomfortable, the AAP says to ask your pediatrician about acetaminophen, or ibuprofen after 6 months, and the right dose for your child's weight.

The first tooth starts two other clocks

Brushing. From the first tooth, brush twice a day with a soft child's toothbrush and a smear of fluoride toothpaste the size of a grain of rice, per the AAP and ADA. Move to a pea-sized amount at age 3. Once two teeth touch, the ADA says to start cleaning between them daily.

The dentist. The ADA recommends a first visit within six months of the first tooth and no later than the first birthday. The dentist checks growth and development and can discuss teething and pacifier habits.

For product-by-product picks, see our best teethers and teething remedies and best pacifiers and teethers. If new teeth are arriving alongside first foods, here is when to start solids.

When do babies start teething?

The AAP puts the start of teething at about 4 to 7 months, with discomfort possible weeks or months before a tooth shows. On the ADA chart, the first teeth, the lower central incisors, arrive at 6-10 months. No tooth by the first birthday can still be normal; mention it at the next checkup.

How long does teething last?

On the ADA chart, it runs from the lower central incisors at 6-10 months to the upper second molars at 25-33 months. Most children have all 20 baby teeth by about age 3.

Is Orajel safe for teething?

The FDA names Orajel among benzocaine products that should not be used for teething pain in children, because benzocaine can cause methemoglobinemia. Rub the gums or offer a firm teether instead, and ask your pediatrician if your baby seems very uncomfortable.