When do babies get their first tooth? When do kids start to lose baby teeth? When does the first permanent tooth come in? As Naperville pediatric dentists, these are questions we hear all of the time. Of course, as parents, it’s natural to want to make sure your child’s oral development is on track.
Well, first, we have to say, as with most things in your kiddo’s life, there is a fairly wide age range for what’s considered the norm. So, there’s no need to panic if your child’s first loose tooth doesn’t happen at six years on the nose, even if their classmates are losing baby teeth left and right.
To give you a better understanding of the process of when do kids lose their baby teeth, we’ll be covering all of your questions about when the teeth erupt, fall out and erupt once more. We also put together a handy dandy, printable smile timeline.
Most babies get their first tooth between six and 10 months of age. While it can vary, in general, the first teeth to erupt are the lower front teeth, followed by the upper front teeth. As soon as your child’s first tooth comes in, you can start brushing twice a day. When any two teeth are touching, begin flossing once daily, too!
Your baby’s teething journey will continue for almost two years after the first tooth comes in. Between 8 and 33 months, all of the rest of the teeth will most likely erupt with the last ones being the second molars. Baby teeth love to erupt in pairs. That means, for example, both bottom front teeth or both lower canines come in around the same time, generally on the bottom first and then the top.
The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends kids have their first dental visit when the first tooth comes in or no later than the age of one.
The average age for a child to lose their first tooth is between six and seven. Usually, your child’s first loose tooth will be the first tooth that came in, which was likely a bottom front tooth, since they tend to fall out in a similar order to how they erupted. Most children shed their lower front teeth and upper front teeth by age seven.
This is also the time to start thinking about having your child evaluated by a certified specialist in orthodontics. The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that every child has an orthodontic checkup at age 7. Why? To ensure that their permanent teeth have space to erupt and that the jaws are growing properly. If you want to check this off your to-do list, schedule a complimentary check-up at our sister practice, Innovative Orthodontic Centers.
Parents sometimes ask, will baby teeth fall out on their own? The answer is, yes, and it’s ideal to let baby teeth fall out naturally instead of yanking them out to avoid causing any damage. In fact, it can take weeks or even a few months to fall out after you notice a tooth is getting loose. If you have concerns that a tooth is taking a long time to fall out, call your pediatric dentist before taking matters into your own hands.
Between ages seven and 12, it might feel like the Tooth Fairy is a frequent visitor because the rest of your child’s baby teeth will fall out during this time period. By age 12, the period of mixed dentition, which is when kids have a mixture of baby teeth and permanent teeth, will come to an end when the second molars hit the road.
Depending on your child, the first permanent teeth to grow in will either be the first permanent molars or the lower front teeth. The permanent lower front teeth will come in soon after the primary lower front teeth fall out. However, the first permanent molars aren’t replacing baby teeth and actually erupt into an empty space. To keep these molars healthy and cavity-free, it’s recommended that kids have dental sealants applied to them.
Between ages seven and 13, your kiddo will get the rest of their permanent teeth. In most cases, the erupting permanent tooth will push the baby tooth out as it breaks through and show up soon after its baby counterpart sheds. If no grown-up tooth has come in six months after losing a baby tooth, call your pediatric dentist to set-up a visit.
The final permanent teeth – aside from the wisdom teeth – to make an appearance, will be the second permanent molars by the age of 13. Sealants are recommended for these teeth to help prevent cavities. Just like the first permanent molars, the second permanent molars aren’t replacing baby teeth. That’s why kids have 28 permanent teeth and only 20 primary teeth.
The third molars, known as wisdom teeth, aren’t a given and not everyone has them. Many times, they become impacted (stuck beneath the bone and gum, usually because they were blocked out by other teeth) and either don’t erupt at all or erupt only partially and will need to be removed. If your teen does get their wisdom teeth, they typically come in between the ages of 17 and 21.
Now you have answers for everything from when do kids lose their baby teeth to when should they see a dentist. If you ever have any concerns about when or how your child’s teeth are erupting or falling out, schedule an appointment at Innovative Pediatric Dentistry!
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