When do children begin to get teeth?

Most children will get their first tooth between the age of five and seven months, although some children will be earlier and some later. By two and a half years, most children will have 20 milk or "baby" teeth. These teeth will be lost between six and 12 years to make way for their permanent or adult teeth.

What happens when a tooth erupts (breaks through)?

The skin over the tooth will become red and swollen, and look tight and shiny. Some children find this painful, for others it is only a minor irritation.

For some children teething also causes a low fever, loss of appetite, dribbling, upset stomach and/or skin rashes. The child may be grizzly and hard to please when awake, and have difficulty sleeping.

How can you help relieve baby's pain?

To help reduce the pain associated with teething the following measures may be useful:

• gently, but firmly massage or press on your baby's gum with a clean finger or soft cloth. If this obviously upsets your child do not continue
• give your baby something cold to suck or chew on. If they have started solids a frozen banana or ice block may be soothing. Some babies find it great to suck on a flannel that has been moistened and put in the freezer for a few hours. You can also buy plastic teething rings which you cool and then give to your child to chew on
• prevent skin rashes on the face by washing away dribble with a warm, clean flannel and applying a protective ointment like Vaseline or lanolin. Some children are more susceptible to nappy rash when they are teething. Change dirty nappies regularly, and wash the baby's skin well with warm water and soap after a bowel motion
• rub a teething gel on to the gums if the child is very upset. Use as directed on the packet. Teething gels can be bought over the counter at your local pharmacy
• occasionally children may require paracetamol to control pain. Use strictly as directed on the bottle.

When to take baby to the doctor

Teething may cause your baby to be mildly off-colour but it does not cause serious illness. Take your child to the doctor if teething troubles last longer than three days, or if your child has a high temperature, diarrhoea, sore ears or is not drinking.

For further information and support talk to your doctor, pharmacist or practice nurse. You can also phone the Healthline on 0800 611 116 for advice.

Written by Anna Mickell RCpN. Reviewed by everybody, February 2005.