2-year Molars: Symptoms, Remedies, And What To Expect

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Medical News TodaySubscribeHow to deal with 2-year molars

Medically reviewed by Jennifer Archibald, DDS — Written by Rachel Nall, MSN, CRNA — Updated on February 10, 2023

Symptoms
Home remedies
Dental care
When to see a doctor
FAQs
Takeaway

People can use home remedies to help relieve discomfort when a child’s 2-year molars come out such as brushing the emerging teeth with fluoride toothpaste to prevent tooth decay.

Also known as second molars, 2-year molars are the set of teeth at the back of a child’s mouth. These wide, flat teeth help a child grind food, speak, and smile.

According to the American Dental Association, 2-year molars typically come through when a child is 23-33 months old.

Many toddlers show no signs of pain while teething. However, when these molars come through, it can be particularly painful, leading to crankiness and irritability.

This article can help a person tell when a child’s 2-year molars are coming in and how to reduce the child’s discomfort.

Symptoms

A child pretending to brush the teeth of a stuffed panda bear. — d3sign/Getty Images

Getting 2-year molars can cause significant discomfort, and a child may not be able to communicate the cause of the pain.

Parents and caregivers can look for signs of the molars coming in. The child may:

chew on toys, their fingers, or clothing
drool more than usual
be unusually irritable

Research shows teething babies may have a slightly elevated temperature between 36.3 and 37.1°C (97.3-98.7°F) on the day of the eruption. However, this is not a fever.

A child experiencing pain in the gums and mouth may not be inclined to show the area to an adult. Singing a song or playing a game that involves sticking out the tongue and opening the mouth wide can help.

Home remedies

Many simple home remedies can help to relieve teething pain.

The following tips can reduce discomfort:

Rubbing the gums with a clean finger.
Having the child bite on a cold, wet gauze pad or a washcloth soaked in ice water.
Offering teething rings for chewing. A person should check that they are made from rubber and avoid freezing them. Rings that are too hard can hurt the child.
Applying moisturizers regularly to the skin around the mouth to prevent cracking and dryness caused by drooling.

Parents and caregivers should always observe children using a teething toy to relieve the pain.

Distraction techniques, such as coloring, singing songs, and dancing, can also help to take a child’s mind off their aching teeth.

Acetaminophen or ibuprofen can also help to reduce discomfort. Be sure to administer pain relievers safe for children, and never give a child more than the recommended dose.

If a parent or caregiver wishes to give the child pain relievers after 2 or 3 days, they should consult a doctor first.

Medications to avoid

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns against using some medications developed for teething.

Many teething gels and pastes are available. However, the FDA and other organizations caution that these can contain harmful ingredients.

For example, they may contain benzocaine, which could cause a blood disorder called methemoglobinemia.

Also, it is important to watch for signs that the medication has numbed the back of the child’s throat. This can cause difficulty swallowing.

Many drugstores sell homeopathic medications that may be labeled as teething tablets. However, the FDA also warns against using these to treat teething pain.

How to take care of a tot’s molars?

Tooth decay can occur as soon as a child’s teeth come through. For this reason, a person begins brushing their child’s teeth as soon as they are visible. However, a person may want to wait just until a child is no longer uncomfortable before beginning.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that a parent or caretaker begins to brush with fluoride toothpaste as soon as a child’s first tooth comes out.

To brush baby teeth, including molars, a person should use a child-size toothbrush and only a tiny amount of toothpaste the size of a grain or rice.

If the child is cooperative, a person can start flossing their teeth as well.

A person who has not yet taken their child to the dentist when the molars come out should consider scheduling an appointment. A dentist can check the health of a child’s teeth as soon as the first tooth comes out.

To help protect a tot’s teeth, a person should not put the child to bed with a milk bottle.

When to see a doctor

If home remedies are not relieving 2-year molar pain, it may be a good idea to make an appointment with the child’s doctor.

Teething should not make a child feel ill. Speak with a doctor if the child exhibits any of the following symptoms:

diarrhea
vomiting
a fever higher than 100.4°F (38.0°C)

These symptoms can indicate the presence of an underlying illness, such as a viral infection.

Frequently asked questions

The following are additional answers to questions about 2-year molars.

How long does it take for 2-year molars to break through?

The lower set of molars usually appears within the ages of 23-31 months, while the upper set typically appears within the ages of 25-33 months.

Can cutting 2-year molars cause fever?

People commonly believe that teething can cause fever. However, while a rise in body temperature can occur during teething, it is typically under 99°F. Fever is classified as above 100.4°F (38.0°C) Therefore, any child experiencing a higher-grade fever or other symptoms such as an upset stomach may actually have a cold or a stomach-related illness.

Is teething worse at night?

A child’s teething symptoms may grow worse at night when the child is tired and has fewer distractions from the pain.

Takeaway

Baby teeth eventually fall out, but they serve an important purpose. They act as placeholders, preventing the permanent teeth from growing when the mouth is still too small. They also help a child speak, eat, and smile.

Caring for a child with 2-year molar pain can sometimes be difficult. Maintaining the child’s routine as much as possible is important and providing them with plenty of distractions.

Home remedies can help. It is essential to remember that teething pain is temporary and that the child will feel well again once the teeth have fully come in.

Dentistry
Pediatrics / Children's Health
Parenthood

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesMedical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. (2021). Perinatal and infant oral health care.https://www.aapd.org/globalassets/media/policies_guidelines/bp_perinataloralhealthcare.pdf
Baby teeth. (n.d.).https://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/az-topics/b/baby-teeth
Clark, M. B., et al. (2020). Fluoride use in caries prevention in the primary care setting.https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/146/6/e2020034637/33536/Fluoride-Use-in-Caries-Prevention-in-the-Primary
Memarpour, M., et al. (2015). Signs and symptoms associated with primary tooth eruption: A clinical trial of nonpharmacological remedies.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4517507/
Primary tooth development. (2012)https://www.mouthhealthy.org/~/media/MouthHealthy/Files/Kids_Section/ADAPrimaryToothDev_Eng.pdf?la=en
Safely soothing teething pain and sensory needs in babies and older children. (2018).https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/safely-soothing-teething-pain-and-sensory-needs-babies-and-older-children
Teething or sick: How to tell in your baby. (2019).https://www.franciscanhealth.org/community/blog/teething-or-sick-how-to-tell-in-your-baby
What you need to know about teething. (n.d.).https://apps.sd.gov/ph18publications/secure/Publications/OH021%20What%20You%20Need%20to%20Know%20about%20Teething.pdf

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Medically reviewed by Jennifer Archibald, DDS — Written by Rachel Nall, MSN, CRNA — Updated on February 10, 2023

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2-year Molars: Symptoms, Remedies, And What To Expect

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