What To Expect From A Teething 3 Year Old

Some parents don’t realize that the teething process continues in a 3 year old. By this age, most of the deciduous or “milk” teeth have emerged from your child’s gums but sometimes it can take a little longer for the second molars to appear. Short of something possibly impeding the tooth growth, there isn’t anything uncommon about the teething process continuing as late as the toddler years. Some parents get concerned when their child experiences this discomfort because they are under the impression that they were past this stage in life. The second molars are usually the latecomers to the party but are not something to be overly concerned about.

The child’s primary teeth usually emerge in a set order starting with the two bottom front teeth, the four upper front teeth, the two lower lateral incisors, four first molars, four canines, and the four aforementioned second molars. This equates to twenty milk teeth which your child should start losing around the age of six to be replaced by permanent teeth, which should erupt in the same order. The emerging second molars basically mean more of the same as far as symptoms go and they can be treated a little more liberally due to your child’s advanced age. Your child may show signs of crankiness as well as a slight raise in temperature but it’s nothing you haven’t already encountered. Teething rings probably won’t be necessary at this stage in your child’s life. You might consider something cold like a Popsicle, but make sure you watch your child closely as the wooden stick can still pose a potential choking hazard. There are some ice pops that come in little plastic tubes, but you’ll still need to be careful that your child is only eating the ice pop and not the plastic. You also don’t want to rub or hold the ice treat against your child’s sore area as prolonged exposure to the cold can damage the teeth and gums.

You might have thought that teething stopped at age 2. You may be confused because of the returning soreness and crankiness in your three year old child. Rest assured it is quite normal for teething to continue in a 3 year old as those second molars emerge into place.