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By the Peanutbean parent · checked against CDC, NHS and AAP guidance · how we fact-check

Baby teething: symptoms, timeline, and what actually helps

Last verified: July 9, 2026

The most useful thing to know about teething is what it is not, so this guide covers the timeline, what genuinely helps, and what to avoid.

When it starts, and the order teeth arrive

Timing varies a lot from baby to baby. The NHS says most babies start teething around 6 months, but some start before they are 4 months old, some after 12 months, and a few are born with a tooth already through (NHS: Baby teething symptoms). The AAP gives a similar window of about 4 to 7 months and adds the part that helps most: late timing is often just heredity, and it does not mean anything is wrong (AAP: When does teething start?).

Here is the rough order the NHS gives for how teeth usually come through:

• central incisors, the front teeth, usually first at around 6 months
• lateral incisors, either side of the front teeth, around 8 months
• first molars, the back teeth, around 12 months
• canines, the pointed teeth between them, around 18 months
• second molars, around 24 months

Bottom teeth often come through before the matching top ones. Most children have all their baby teeth by the time they are 2 to 3 years old.

What teething actually looks like

Sometimes a tooth appears with no fuss at all. Other times, the NHS says you may notice:

• a sore, red gum where the tooth is coming through
• a temperature that is slightly raised but still below 38C
• one flushed cheek
• a rash on the face
• rubbing an ear
• more drooling than usual
• lots of gnawing and chewing
• being more fretful than usual
• not sleeping very well

That is the honest list. Notice what is not on it. Some things get blamed on teething that the evidence does not support. The NHS says plainly that there is no evidence teething causes diarrhoea. And both the NHS and the AAP draw a firm line on temperature, which is the next part.

The one sign that is never just teething

Teething can nudge your baby’s temperature up a little. It does not cause a fever.

The NHS puts the teething range at slightly raised but below 38C. The AAP is just as specific: teething may cause a slight rise, but not over 38.3C, which is 101F. If your baby has a fever higher than that, the AAP says it is probably not from teething, and you should call your doctor (AAP: When does teething start?).

This matters because “it is just teething” is the easiest thing in the world to tell yourself at 2 a.m.

What actually helps

The things that work are simple, cheap, and low-tech.

A teething ring to chew on. It gives your baby something safe to gnaw and can distract them from the ache. The NHS says you can chill a teething ring in the fridge first, which soothes the gums, but never put it in the freezer, because a frozen ring can damage gums. Never tie one around your baby’s neck.

Your own clean finger. Gently rubbing or massaging the sore gum often helps, and it costs nothing. Both the NHS and the AAP suggest it.

Something to chew, if they are ready for food. If your baby is 6 months or older and has started solids, the NHS says you can offer healthy things to chew on, like raw fruit and vegetables. Soft fruit such as melon can soothe gums. Always watch in case they choke, skip rusks because nearly all contain sugar, and avoid sugary foods, which cause tooth decay even with only a few teeth through.

Sugar-free pain relief, if they are hurting. The NHS says paracetamol can be given from 2 months and ibuprofen from 3 months for teething pain, always following the packet, and never aspirin under 16. If you are unsure, ask a pharmacist or GP.

Comfort. Playing with your baby distracts them from the ache, and wiping the drool gently helps prevent a rash on the chin.

What to skip, and why

This is where a lot of money gets spent on things that do not work, and some that are genuinely risky.

Teething gels. The NHS says there is a lack of evidence that they work, and recommends rings and simple painkillers first. If you use one, it must be a gel made for children, bought from a pharmacy, never a general adult mouth gel.

Numbing gels with benzocaine or lidocaine. The US FDA warns not to use these for teething at all. Benzocaine can cause methemoglobinemia, a condition that cuts the blood’s ability to carry oxygen, and can be fatal. Lidocaine gels can cause seizures, heart problems, and worse (FDA: Safely soothing teething pain).

Homeopathic teething tablets. The AAP says they provide no benefit and have in some cases contained harmful ingredients.

Amber teething necklaces. They do nothing for pain, and both the FDA and AAP have recorded cases of babies choking and being strangled by them. The rule underneath all of this is simple: nothing goes around a baby’s neck.

Looking after the new teeth

Once that first tooth is through, it needs care. Start brushing with a smear of fluoride toothpaste as soon as it appears, using a soft baby brush. The AAP recommends a first dental visit within 6 months of the first tooth and no later than the first birthday, whichever comes first. To protect new teeth, never let your baby fall asleep with a bottle, because milk pooling around the teeth feeds decay.

When to call your doctor

Teething is uncomfortable, not dangerous. So if your baby seems more than just miserable, the cause is usually something else.

You know your baby best. As we say in every one of these guides, your own concern is reason enough to ask.

Keep reading

• Dummies and pacifiers: start, stop, and the SIDS link
• Weeks 17 to 26: grabbing everything, the stage when everything goes in the mouth
• Baby fever: when to worry
• Starting solid food: the real rules
• All the first-year windows

Sources

• NHS: Baby teething symptoms (page last reviewed May 2026)
• NHS: Tips for helping your teething baby (page last reviewed October 2025)
• AAP HealthyChildren: When does teething start? (last updated June 2024)
• FDA: Safely soothing teething pain in infants and children (current as of June 2024)

Peanutbean provides general information for educational purposes only. It is not medical advice. Every baby develops at their own pace. Always talk to your pediatrician about your child’s health.