Question
At what age do babies usually start teething? My daughter is now over nine months old, but she hasn’t started teething yet, and I’m very worried. I’ve asked the doctor at the hospital, and the doctor said there’s no problem. Each child’s physical condition is different, so some grow earlier and some grow later, and we should supplement some calcium.
Answer
Although babies are born without teeth in their mouths, tooth buds are already present in the jaw bones. At a certain point, teeth begin to emerge from the gums. The process of teeth emerging from the jaw bones is called the “eruption” of teeth, which is commonly known as teething. Teeth eruption follows a certain order and has a general timeline. For example, lower central incisors typically start to erupt between 6 to 8 months after birth, and by the age of 2 to 2.5 years, all 20 baby teeth can be fully grown. Since each baby’s development is different, some may erupt earlier while others may be later. If there are no signs of tooth eruption by over one year old, it should be checked by a doctor to determine what obstacles might be present. If a baby has rickets, severe malnutrition, congenital skeletal developmental disorders, or other conditions that affect tooth calcification, the eruption time may be delayed. The order of baby teeth eruption is listed in the table below:
| Baby Tooth Name | Number | Eruption Age | Total Number of Teeth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower Central Incisor | 2 | 5 to 10 months | 2 |
| Upper Central Incisor |