Are you in baby bliss? I remember those days fondly. Watching my baby for hours and memorizing each part of my baby’s sweet face. And, one day I noticed the first tooth had arrived! It was so exciting and documented with many photos. I’m sure you understand.
But, does it seem like your babies teeth coming in out of order? While you may feel concerned, you should not be alarmed. Your baby’s teeth may come in late or early or even out of order. However, to ease your mommy fears, read this article to know all you need to know about baby teeth.
When Do Baby Teeth First Appear?
Typically, your baby may have the first tooth appear around six months of age. This tooth tends to be one of the front lower teeth (central incisors). This will likely be followed by the other bottom tooth. This is also when babies begin teething; however, some babies begin teething as early as four months old.
What is the Typical Pattern?
Overtime, your baby will have 20 baby teeth appear. This takes over the first two years of their young lives. Typically, Healthline explains teeth eruption follows this pattern:
- 6-10 monthsbottom central incisors
- 8-12 monthstop central incisors
- 9-13 monthstop lateral incisors
- 10-16 monthsbottom lateral incisors
- 13-19 monthsfirst molars in top of mouth
- 14-18 monthsfirst molars on bottom
- 16-22 monthstop canines
- 17-23 monthsbottom canines
- 23-31 monthssecond molars on bottom of mouth
- 25-33 monthssecond molars on top
There are clearly wide ranges for when these teeth emerge. This is because all babies are unique, and teeth do not always appear at the same time or in the same pattern.
What If They Coming Out of Order?
If your baby’s teeth are coming in out of order, you should not panic. According to the American Association of Pediatrics, this is not a cause for concern. These variations in dates when teeth erupt is due to the variation with the order and the age of each baby.
How to Care for Baby Teeth
You should begin cleaning your baby’s mouth and gums even before teeth arrive. Simply get a wet washcloth and gently wipe your baby’s gums. Do not use toothpaste!
As your baby’s first teeth arrive, you should switch from the washcloth to a soft toothbrush. In the beginning, you should only brush these baby teeth with water on the toothbrush. Eventually, you will switch to use a very small amount of toothpaste (no bigger than a grain of rice).
Once your child is three years old, you can switch to using a pea sized amount of fluoride toothpaste. Parents should brush their child’s teeth for them to ensure you cover all the teeth (front and back) until your child is old enough to do it well on his/her own.
When to Take Your Baby to the Dentist
Even though your baby only has baby teeth (and maybe just a few), you need to go ahead and make an appointment with the dentist. Children should see a dentist by the time they are one year old or within six months of the appearance of their first tooth.
When Will Your Baby Begin to Lose Baby Teeth?
After all the excitement of your baby getting his/her first teeth, your little one will eventually have a full set of twenty baby teeth. But, these baby teeth do not last forever. You should expect your little one to start losing his/her baby teeth around six years of age.
Generally, the bottom central incisors are the first to go. But, again, there is a wide range. One thing to take note of regarding losing teeth – this process will take several years. From the time your child is six years old until around eleven years old, your child will lose these baby teeth to make room for adult teeth.
Possible Issues to Look For
You may have already heard, but baby teeth decay much easier than adult teeth. This is why you are encouraged to avoid sending your baby to bed with a bottle as well as told to hold off on juice and the ice cream. If you notice signs of tooth decay, you must make a dental appointment immediately.
In addition, take notice of tooth pain or your child having difficulty eating. These may be signs of infections, cavities, or gingivitis. Finally, if your baby has not had any teeth appear by 18 months of age, contact your dentist.
To Wrap Up…
As your baby’s first teeth arrive, be sure to take special care of the teeth and set up an appointment with the dentist. If you are worried about the order of the emergence of these baby teeth, try to be overly concerned. It is generally okay if teeth do not arrive right on schedule or out of order.
