# what is the oldest a baby can get teeth?



## Alvie (Mar 14, 2005)

My ds will be one on the 21st June and still has no teeth...not one...
He has been drooling and chewing since about 6 months old, but nothing comes up. What is the oldest age for first teeth to appear and when should I start to worry???


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## BabyBumblebee (Mar 16, 2005)

Hi! I don't have the answer for you, but I just wanted to let you know that your little one is not alone - we also have a toothless wonder and she is only 5 days short of a year old







I *think* I can feel one coming on her bottom gum, but I really can't see anything yet....

I'd love to know the answer too...


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## kdandq (Jun 11, 2004)

My husband's grandmother did not get her first tooth until she was 18 months old! Everything else was totally normal developmentally with her, she just got teeth late!

Kate


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## hippiemom (Jan 7, 2002)

My first daughter got her first two teeth simultaneously at about 10 months. They came flyin' in after that point







I would not worry at all. I bet when they start there will be a bunch that follow soon afterward. Hyland's teething tablets are a godsend by the way...


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## CarrieMF (Mar 7, 2004)

My eldest was 19months. Her 2 front bottom teeth could be seen under the gums from 12/13months until they finally broke through. They were raised for the last month or so but would not break the skin. I could see that they were coming in V-shaped so I took her to a dentist. They said not having a tooth through at 18 1/2months(when I took her in) was rare but it does happen. All that they could do would be to cut the gums so the teeth would come through which would be painful and pretty much useless. The most important thing they said was that they were not concerned. IF she had been 2 1/2 and not had teeth through then they would be concerned and pushing for cutting the gums.

That day I started brushing her gums with a real toothbrush(I had a rubber finger thingy before that) because they said that bacteria can get to the teeth even though they aren't through. IMO doing that helped break the skin down from the top instead of just from the tooth pushing up. 2 weeks of that and they finally broke the skin and came through. My next 2 kids had their first at 8.5 and 8months, go figure.lol

I have extremely slow teeth. I have been getting my 12year molars for over 10 years now.lol

The later their teeth come through the later they will fall out which I've heard is better for their permanent teeth. My eldest is now 6.5 and has not lost any teeth. She had an x-ray at a dentist a 1 1/2years ago because one of her top teeth was bruised. he figured it would be 2years before she lost her first one. The tooth that is bruised did start to get loose in the fall, but is hardly any more wiggly and no where near close to coming out. That tooth stopped growing last fall.

My dd is sad sometimes that she has not lost a tooth because she is the only one in her class who has not lost one(mind you she is in grade 1 in a 1/2 split class and almost half of the grade 1's were held back). I'm not going to knock a tooth out just so she can be like her peers though.lol


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## Alvie (Mar 14, 2005)

Thanks CarrieMF, seems this is something not to stress over...I'm just :LOL at all the well wishers seeing my little one chewing his fingers saying "oh, he's getting a tooth there" I just have to say he's been doing that for 6 months already!

I have also heard from a friend to start brushing sooner (even before teeth come in) as the gum massage is soothing, plus it gets them used to having mama clean their mouth. I never heard it helps break the skin for the teeth to come out! I'll remember that for when ds actually has visible teeth under his gums.

BTW, any mamas with toothless babies...are your babies still on pureed foods and BM mainly? Do you have to hold off on the finger food a while till some teeth come in? Ds is not a great solids eater, but what he does eat still has to be pretty mushy. I've seen other babies his age chewing on bread etc...but wondering if the no teeth thing means he'll have to stay on baby food?


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## BabyBumblebee (Mar 16, 2005)

Gummy-girl here is getting approx 85% nutrition still from BM, and the rest from smooshed up fruits and veggies. She has learned to mash up organic-o's with her tongue and gumes, and loves to suck on pineapple spears, but there really isn't a lot of point in me giving her anything that actually needs *chewing* with teeth....I also cut up raisins and dried apricots into teeny-tiny pieces for her as snacks.

:LOL too at all of the bystanders who tell me that dd *must* be teething as she has lovely rosy cheeks.....if that had been true when people started saying it she would have a full set of gnashers, including molars!

I think I will try the toothbrush trick though, just in case....


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## stafl (Jul 1, 2002)

I was 15 months old when I got my first tooth. I do think it makes for stronger teeth. I got my first and only filling at age 35, but it wasn't even a cavity, just an "occlusion" whatever that means. Mom says I was eating everything the family ate, gumming it into submission :LOL I've also heard that late teething can be a sign of food allergies, of which I have plenty, but I don't know if it's really related or not.


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## Karry (Apr 10, 2002)

We're a family of late teethers here. I was 17 months when I got my first tooth, and I was late getting my permanent teeth as well. Ds1 cut his first tooth at just past a year, the top two and the bottom two all came in together. Ds2 started cutting his bottom two teeth right before his first birthday. He still only has 4 teeth at 16 months. My boys were able to eat table foods without molars by gumming everything. As long as it is soft enough and can be gummed easily they do fine.


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## cjr (Dec 2, 2003)

My nefew didn't get his first tooth until he was 20 months old. Now he has his molors, but he still has no front teeth (top or bottom). Wierd huh? My sister took him to a dentist and she said that they were coming.


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## CarrieMF (Mar 7, 2004)

Quote:

BTW, any mamas with toothless babies...are your babies still on pureed foods and BM mainly?
Normally the first teeth a child gets are the front ones, you chew with your back teeth so not having their first tooth should not affect what they are eating. My dd was eating steak before she got her first tooth. They are going to gum anything with their gums which are quite hard and can mash food easily. Anything that is a tougher food should be cut up smaller.


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## thismama (Mar 3, 2004)

My daughter got her first tooth at 14 mos, second at 15, then three this past month (at 18 mos).

She eats everything... I just have to be careful to cut up apples and hard fruit well. Otherwise no problems.


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