Most 12-month-olds have between two and eight teeth, with six being a common count at this age. The range is wide because tooth eruption varies significantly from baby to baby, and having fewer or more teeth at the one-year mark is rarely a cause for concern.
Which Teeth Come In First
The lower central incisors, the two bottom front teeth, are almost always the first to appear. They typically break through between 6 and 10 months. The upper central incisors follow, arriving between 8 and 12 months. After that come the upper lateral incisors (the teeth flanking the top front two), which erupt between 9 and 13 months, and the lower lateral incisors, which come in between 10 and 16 months.
So by 12 months, many babies have their two bottom front teeth, their two top front teeth, and possibly one or both upper lateral incisors. Some babies will also have their lower lateral incisors starting to push through. That puts the realistic range at about four to eight teeth for a typical one-year-old, though having just two or three is perfectly normal if those teeth erupted on the later end of the timeline.
Why Some Babies Get Teeth Earlier or Later
Genetics is the biggest factor. If you or your partner were late teethers, your baby likely will be too. Nutrition plays a role as well, since calcium and vitamin D support the mineralization that happens before a tooth breaks through the gum. Premature birth can shift the entire eruption schedule later. Research published by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry found that in the general population, the first tooth erupts between 24 and 40 weeks of age (roughly 6 to 10 months). Babies born prematurely often fall toward the later end of that window or beyond it.
Some babies are born with a tooth already in place (called a natal tooth), while others don’t see their first tooth until well past their first birthday. Both situations are uncommon but not automatically a problem.
When Late Teething Is Worth Mentioning
If your baby has no teeth at all by about 18 months, it’s worth bringing up with your pediatrician or a pediatric dentist. In most cases the teeth are simply taking their time, but very delayed eruption can occasionally signal a nutritional deficiency or an underlying condition affecting tooth development. For babies born prematurely, the timeline should be adjusted based on their corrected age (the age they would be if born at their due date) rather than their calendar age.
Teething Symptoms to Expect Around 12 Months
At this age, your baby may be cutting several teeth at once. Common signs include drooling, chewing on objects, irritability, and swollen gums. You might also notice your baby pulling at their ears or being fussier than usual at bedtime.
One important distinction: teething does not cause a true fever. It can nudge your baby’s temperature slightly above the normal baseline of about 98.6°F, but it won’t push it to 100.4°F or higher. If your baby hits that threshold, something else is going on, likely an infection, and the fever shouldn’t be dismissed as teething.
Caring for Those First Teeth
Start brushing as soon as the first tooth appears. Use a soft, infant-sized toothbrush with a tiny smear of fluoride toothpaste, just enough to barely cover the bristles. Brush twice a day, paying attention to the gum line where plaque tends to build up. Baby teeth are thinner than adult teeth, so decay can progress quickly once it starts.
The American Dental Association recommends scheduling your child’s first dental visit between the eruption of their first tooth and their first birthday. That visit is mostly a quick check of the teeth and gums, a chance to catch any early issues, and an opportunity to ask questions about brushing, bottle use, and fluoride. If your baby is already 12 months old and hasn’t been yet, it’s a good time to book that appointment.
What Comes Next After 12 Months
Between 13 and 19 months, the first molars arrive. These are the broad, flat teeth further back in the mouth, and they tend to cause more discomfort than the incisors because of their larger surface area pushing through the gum. The canines (the pointed teeth between the incisors and molars) follow between 16 and 23 months. The second molars, all the way in the back, are the last to show up, typically between 23 and 33 months. By around age 3, most children have their full set of 20 primary teeth.