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How Long Does Teething Last?

how long does teething last in babies

Article at a Glance:

  • Every child will go through the process of teething.
  • Infants begin teething around 4-6 months but can start as early as three months.
  • Babies will grow their full set of baby teeth around their third year.
  • The timing of teething will vary for every unique child.

Seeing your baby get their first set of teeth is one of the most exciting things to witness! But I am sure that most can agree that everything else that comes with teething makes situations seemingly miserable.

I know I had to ask myself, “How long does teething last?” because symptoms of teething seem to last forever!

Teething can be a very stressful time for both the parent and child. For some babies, it may seem as if teething symptoms are never-ending, while others seem to just wake up one day with 20 baby teeth and barely a symptom to speak of.

So, how long should you expect teething to last?

Generally, the entirety of baby teething can last up to 3 years but varies considerably from child to child.

What Age Do Babies Start Teething?

Something that I find myself saying a lot, only because it is an important point to get across with baby teething, is that the teething experience varies from child to child.

No scientist has been able to create the perfect teething relief recipe to solve the teething crisis, which is great! Every child is unique and requires different attention and comfort.

Luckily, there are patterns and general trends that teething babies show that help most parents that are struggling to create their own perfect teething relief recipe.

On average, babies start teething around 4-6 months. Some babies can start teething as early as 3 months, while others may not start teething until 12 months.

The length of teething and order varies greatly. Although there is a predictable teething order that most infants tend to follow, plenty of babies have been known to get their teeth ‘out of order’.

Babies that begin teething will exhibit signs and symptoms of teething, some which include drooling, fussiness, grabbing of the ears, and, of course, what looks like an appearance of a tooth (most likely on the lower jaw).

How Long Does Teething Last Overall?

Infants accrue up to 20 primary, or baby, teeth in teething development. The process usually takes about 2-3 years, with front teeth generally appearing in the first year and molars in the 2nd and 3rd years.

Before tooth eruption is visible, most babies will experience bothersome teething symptoms for a few days before and after [1]. In extreme cases, some babies will experience teething symptoms for weeks before the eruption of the tooth.

This doesn’t mean that the teething symptoms will last the entire span of a baby’s teething experience. Teething symptoms usually subside until the next tooth is ready to come in.

Since symptoms vary greatly for every child, be diligent in looking out for signs or symptoms that your baby is teething. Be aware that teething does not cause or have a direct correlation with vomitingfeverdiarrhea, or a rash.

teething baby experiencing signs of teething for couple days

How Long Does Teething Last Per Tooth?

In a study conducted in 2002 [2], researchers attempted to find out how long teething lasts per tooth by looking at how long the symptoms persisted. A limited number of parents said their babies experienced no teething signs and symptoms; most said symptoms lasted 1-3 days.

Teething length for each tooth generally lasts about eight days, with symptoms starting four days prior and three days after the eruption [3].

The typical baby teeth order is Incisors, Canines, Molars, and Second Molars, with baby teeth first appearing in the lower jaw, or mandible.  Baby teeth may grow individually, but more typically in pairs. Some infants will grow multiple teeth at once.

All processes are considered normal. Variations in tooth development will affect the teething length considerably, as well as the associated symptoms.

The Experiences of Mom’s Dealing With Teething and Timing

Many mothers report that the first tooth arrived months after initial teething symptoms. After the initial eruption, however, it only took a few days to a week for new teeth to erupt through the gums.

In other cases, some mothers report that symptoms and tooth eruption all happen within a week of each other. For some children, it is a short process. For others, it may be prolonged.

Teething is really a unique experience for each child.

Both cases are common among teething children. Before your infant’s initial tooth eruption, it will be common for your infant to exhibit teething symptoms.

Be prepared and learn about the signs and symptoms that an infant may exhibit during the extent of their teething process.

mom with teething baby wondering how long teething will last

Relieving The Discomfort of Teething

The last thing we want is a fussy and crying baby on our hands. The pain they feel from their teeth coming in is almost torturous. Of course as a parent, whether this is your first or not, we want to do anything we can to help our teething babies.

Keep in mind that some of the most effective relief options are in our very arms. Cuddle therapy and distraction have been shown to be an easy method of relieving your baby’s teething discomfort [4].

If this fails, try these other alternatives:

  • Using a clean finger to apply pressure to the gum
  • Using a cold spoon (chilled in the fridge) to apply pressure
  • Providing safe and all-natural teething toys
  • Wear a silicone teething necklace
  • Get an amber teething necklace

How Do I Know What Teething Products Are Safe?

Natural teething remedies are the first of teething relief options you should look into. Other options that are currently sold in stores include plastic, water filled, or hollowed teethers. There are also natural teething toy options including silicone and wooden teethers.

In 2017, a mother and pediatric dentist had purchased the popular “Sophie the Giraffe” teething toy for her child. After a suspicious smell coming from the toy, she had cut it open to find black mold lined along the inside of the toy. This is one case of the potential harm a hollowed teething toy may carry.

Although scientists have argued that mold is abundant in the air and is not extremely harmful to a baby, babies that have a compromised immune system are more likely to obtain an illness from these types of black mold.

Make sure that any teething toys you purchase are from safe, natural and reputable sources. To avoid the chance of collecting black mold in teething toys, purchase teething toys that are solid and not hollow or filled with liquid.

Plastic teething toys are not recommended because of their chemical constituents. Even marketed as “BPA-free,” teethers have been shown to still contain trace amounts of BPA.

Plastic teethers are also a hazard when chilling in the freezer for added relief since plastic usually hardens or cracks from extreme temperatures. This could bruise a babies sensitive gums.

Rest assured that all of the teething products sold by Kute Keiki are safe, all-natural, and will provide excellent teething relief to a teething baby.

What Teething Relief Options are Best for Me?

The teething relief options really depend on your child. For some, cuddle therapy works the best above all other options. Other mothers I have met have children who refuse to use any teething toys. Some mothers I have met say their children prefer a wet washcloth, chilled in the fridge.

Variation of teething also extends to variation of teething relief options. There is no absolute answer for teething relief.

Silicone Teething Toys and Necklaces

Silicone teething toys and teething necklaces are one of the easiest, safest and most playful options. Teething toys should be phthalate & BPA free, both of which are known toxic chemicals in plastic toys.

Your best alternative option for teething toys are ones made out of silicone. Silicone is made from an abundant element in nature, silicon. It makes up ~60% off the Earth’s crust. The most common mineral containing silicon is quartz.

Silica, which is a silicon and oxygen compound, is used to create an inert, versatile material that is used in things like computers, cookware, and baby products. If you bake, you have definitely used some form of silica.

Baltic Amber Teething Necklaces

Another natural teething remedy utilizes Baltic Amber teething necklaces, which provide numerous benefits to soothe teething signs and symptoms.

Baltic amber is fossilized resin from ancient pine trees that contain a chemical compound known as succinic acid. This compound has been praised for centuries as a healing aid and natural analgesic [5].

Amber takes the appearance of a brownish, glassy substance and gives off a pine smell when heated. The necklace is worn by a teething baby and the heat from their body releases succinic acid through the skin and provides a calming effect and pain relief.

Baltic amber teething necklaces are usually fit pretty snug, which babies tend to forget they are wearing them! Each bead is secured with a knot to ensure the safety of baby from a necklace with loose beads.

ALWAYS makes sure you are purchasing a baltic amber teething necklace from a reputable source. Many sellers try to pass off glass or plastic beads as the real deal. Just to be sure you’ve got the real deal, a baltic amber teething neckalce would float in salt water and when heated, would release a ‘piney’ smell.