Why does teething hurt my baby?

As your baby’s teeth come through they actually twist and shift rather than travelling in a straight line, which causes pain. The first four teeth are usually flat and sharp, and don’t cause as much pain as the later teeth. The most painful teeth to come through are often the canines, due to their large surface area. When the molar teeth at the back of the mouth come through this can also cause quite a lot of pain, simply due to the size of the teeth. Their emergence can cause swelling or even a blister which you can soothe with a cold compress. Read the Teething section for more information about how this development will affect your baby.