One day your baby is their usual self. The next, they are drooling more than you thought was physically possible, chewing on everything they can reach, waking at night for no obvious reason, and generally unhappy in a way you cannot quite explain.
Welcome to teething.
It is one of the most universal experiences of early parenthood — and also one of the most misunderstood. Let us clear up everything so you know exactly what to expect and how to actually help.
When Does Teething Start?
Most babies begin teething between 4 and 7 months, though the range is wide. Some babies cut their first tooth as early as 3 months. Others — completely normally — do not cut their first tooth until after their first birthday.
What many parents do not realise is that the process of teething begins weeks before a tooth actually appears. The tooth is moving upward through the gum tissue, and that pressure causes discomfort long before you can see or feel anything.
This is why babies often seem fussy and uncomfortable at 3 months, well before any tooth is visible.
Signs Your Baby Is Teething
- Excessive drooling — sometimes so much it soaks through bibs and causes a chin rash
- Chewing on everything — hands, toys, your shoulder, anything within reach
- Swollen, sensitive gums — you may be able to feel a hard bump beneath the gum
- Fussiness and irritability — especially in the late afternoon and evening
- Disrupted sleep — pain tends to be more noticeable when there are no distractions
- Pulling at ears or cheeks — referred pain from the gums travels to the jaw and ears
- Reduced appetite — feeding on sore gums is uncomfortable
Note: teething does not cause high fever. A slightly elevated temperature is possible, but if your baby has a fever above 38°C, consult your paediatrician — this is not teething.
The Teething Order
Teeth typically appear in this order, though there is variation.
- Bottom front two teeth (central incisors) — 6 to 10 months
- Top front two teeth — 8 to 12 months
- Top lateral incisors — 9 to 13 months
- Bottom lateral incisors — 10 to 16 months
- First molars — 13 to 19 months
- Canines — 16 to 22 months
- Second molars — 25 to 33 months
By around age 3, most children have their full set of 20 primary teeth.
Safe Ways to Relieve Teething Pain
The most effective and safest approaches are the simplest ones.
Cold pressure is the most reliably effective method. The combination of cold and gentle pressure directly counteracts the inflammation and aching in the gums.
- A chilled silicone teether — place in the fridge (not freezer) for 15 to 20 minutes. The cool surface provides immediate gum relief when baby chews on it
- Chilled fruit in a mesh feeder — frozen mango, banana or watermelon inside a fruit feeder gives nutritious, cold, satisfying relief that babies love
- Clean cold damp cloth — for younger babies who cannot yet hold a teether
Gentle gum massage — clean your finger and rub the gum with gentle circular pressure. Many babies find direct pressure more satisfying than any toy.
Distraction — it sounds simple, but a change of environment, a walk outside, or a favourite person can genuinely interrupt a teething distress cycle.
What to Avoid
Please avoid teething gels containing benzocaine, homeopathic teething tablets, amber teething necklaces (a serious choking and strangulation hazard), and any product not specifically designed and safety-tested for baby use.
The Right Teether Makes a Real Difference
A well-designed silicone teether — made from 100% food-grade silicone, with varied textures that reach different areas of the gum — is the single most useful teething tool you can have.
Our Silicone Baby Teether is BPA-free, phthalate-free, dishwasher safe, and designed with multiple textures that target different gum areas. Chill it in the fridge and it becomes your best tool for a difficult teething night.
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