When should I worry about baby teeth coming in late?
Baby teeth coming in late is usually normal: the first tooth often appears around six months, but some healthy babies have none at their first birthday, and late teething often runs in families. The first dental visit is recommended by 12 months anyway, so that is the time to ask. If no tooth has appeared by about 18 months, a dentist will usually look more closely. At Creative Arts in Dubai, a children's check-up covers this.
Who treats you here Dr. Duaa Ameen General Dentist · Dr. Julia General Dentist
Every dentist’s licence can be checked on the DHA Sheryan medical directory.
When do baby teeth usually come in?
These are the typical age ranges from the American Dental Association's eruption chart. Notice how wide each range is: a few months either side is ordinary.
| Tooth | Lower jaw | Upper jaw |
|---|---|---|
| Central incisors (front teeth) | 6–10 months | 8–12 months |
| Lateral incisors | 10–16 months | 9–13 months |
| First molars | 14–18 months | 13–19 months |
| Canines | 17–23 months | 16–22 months |
| Second molars | 23–31 months | 25–33 months |
Most children have all 20 baby teeth by about age three. The order matters less than the overall pattern; our baby teeth chart shows when each tooth arrives and falls out.
Is no teeth at 12 months normal?
Often, yes. The NHS notes that most babies get their first tooth some time during the first year, with front teeth usually first at around six months, but "most" leaves plenty of room. A baby who is feeding, growing and developing well and simply has no teeth yet at the first birthday is, in the large majority of cases, just on the later side of normal.
Gums do a surprising amount of work before teeth arrive. Toddlers mash soft food with their gums, and the lack of teeth does not by itself mean a child cannot move on to textured foods. Speech is also not delayed by late teeth in the way parents sometimes fear.
The first birthday is still a useful moment, for a different reason. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends a first dental examination when the first tooth erupts and no later than 12 months of age. If your baby has no teeth yet, that visit is the natural place to raise it: the dentist can feel the gums for teeth on the way and talk you through what to expect. Our guide to a baby's first dental visit explains what happens.
What causes baby teeth coming in late?
Most late teething has an ordinary explanation. Medical causes exist but are much less common, and they rarely show up as late teeth alone.
| Cause | How common | What usually points to it |
|---|---|---|
| Family pattern and normal variation | The most common reason | A parent or sibling who also teethed late; the child is otherwise well |
| Premature birth or low birth weight | Common | Teeth often follow the corrected age rather than the birth date |
| A thick gum or a small fluid swelling over the tooth | Occasional | A firm or bluish bump where a tooth is due; the tooth usually breaks through on its own |
| An extra tooth or another blockage in the way | Uncommon | One tooth much later than its partner on the other side |
| Teeth that have not formed | Uncommon | Gaps that persist, sometimes with a family history of missing teeth |
| Medical conditions, such as an underactive thyroid, growth hormone problems or some genetic syndromes | Rare | Usually other signs too: slow growth, feeding or developmental concerns |
A 2024 review in Dental Update notes that local causes of delayed eruption are more common than systemic ones, which are considered once local causes have been ruled out. Extra and missing teeth are covered in our pages on extra teeth and congenitally missing teeth.
Baby teeth coming in late: wait, mention it, or book a check?
Use this to decide how soon to act. It is a guide, not a diagnosis; if you are worried, a check is always reasonable.
| What you notice | Usually means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| No teeth at 9–12 months, baby otherwise well | Within the normal range | Mention it at the first dental visit, due by 12 months |
| No teeth at around 15 months | Probably still a late-normal pattern | A dental check is sensible if you have not had one |
| No teeth by about 18 months | Worth a closer look | Book a dental check; an X-ray may be suggested to see whether teeth are forming |
| One tooth missing long after its partner on the other side appeared | Possible local cause | Book a check |
| Teeth arriving in an unusual order | Often a harmless variation | Mention it at the next check-up |
| Late teeth plus slow growth, feeding difficulty or other developmental concerns | Needs a medical view as well | See your paediatrician as well as the dentist |
| A painful, red or swollen bump over an erupting tooth, or fever | Teething does not cause high fever | Book a check; see a doctor for a fever |
The NHS lists sore red gums, a slightly raised temperature below 38°C, flushed cheeks, dribbling and poor sleep as teething signs. A temperature of 38°C or more is not explained by teething. Our teething guide covers comfort measures.
What does a dentist check when baby teeth are coming in late?
At Creative Arts, young children are seen by Dr. Duaa Ameen and Dr. Julia, General Dentists. A check for late teeth is gentle and short, usually with your child on your lap. The dentist asks when brothers, sisters and parents got their teeth, whether your child was born early, and about feeding, growth and general health. Then the gums are looked at and felt: a tooth that is close to breaking through can often be felt as a firm ridge or seen as a pale area.
Most of the time that is enough to reassure you and set a date to look again. An X-ray is not taken routinely in a baby. It is considered when a child is well past the usual range with no sign of teeth, or when one tooth is much later than its partner, because the image shows whether the teeth are forming and where they sit. If anything suggests a medical cause, the dentist explains this and recommends a visit to your paediatrician; dentists do not diagnose thyroid or growth problems, but late teeth with other signs can be a useful prompt.
The visit is also a chance to start prevention early: how to clean the first teeth when they come, the right amount of fluoride toothpaste, and night feeding habits. Our children's dentistry page explains how we care for young children.
Worried that your child's teeth are late? A children's check-up at Creative Arts in Dubai looks at the gums and the pattern so far, explains what is normal, and tells you plainly if anything needs a closer look.
Children's dentistryDo late baby teeth mean late adult teeth?
Often, though not always. The timing of baby and adult teeth tends to run on the same internal clock, so a child whose first teeth came late will often lose them a little later and get adult teeth later than classmates. Adult teeth usually begin with the lower front teeth and the first permanent molars at around six to seven years, but a year or so later is common in late teethers and is not a problem by itself.
What matters more is that each adult tooth eventually comes through and that baby teeth do not stay firmly in place once the adult tooth is visible behind or beside them. Your dentist keeps an eye on this at routine check-ups, and an orthodontic assessment around age seven looks at spacing and the order of eruption.
Can you make late baby teeth come in faster?
No. Nothing you buy or do at home speeds up teething, and products that claim to should be treated with caution. What helps is simple care while you wait:
- Wipe the gums with a clean damp cloth once or twice a day, so cleaning is routine before the first tooth arrives.
- Start brushing as soon as the first tooth comes through, with a smear of fluoride toothpaste, as the NHS advises.
- Offer something safe to chew when the gums seem sore, such as a teething ring cooled in the fridge (not frozen).
- Keep sugary drinks out of bottles and avoid putting a baby to sleep with milk, so the new teeth start healthy.
Late teeth have one small advantage: fewer years of exposure to sugar and plaque before school. Use that time to build the habits.
Trust the whole child, not only the calendar
A baby who is feeding, growing and reaching other milestones and simply has no teeth yet is almost always fine. Late teeth together with other concerns about growth or development deserve a conversation with your paediatrician as well as a dental check.