At What Age Do Kids Lose Their Baby Teeth

Published on September 14, 2021, Updated on September 20, 2021

What age do primary teeth begin to fall out?

The typical age at which kids lose their teeth differs greatly. At the age of 6, a child’s primary teeth begin to come loose and fall out in preparation for the eruption of permanent teeth. However, every child is different, and some children may lose their first baby tooth as young as four years old, while others may not lose it until age 7. Children usually keep on losing their deciduous teeth until the age of twelve. Eventually, baby teeth (primary teeth) fall out to make room for adult teeth. Generally, 32 permanent teeth will grow.

Typically, the two top front teeth (upper central incisors) and two bottom front teeth (lower central incisors) fall out first, preceded by the lateral incisors, first molars, canines, and second molars. The baby teeth frequently fall out in the order they emerged. This is the usual sequence in which teeth are shed, but it still varies. Each youngster loses teeth in his or her own unique pattern and at a particular developmental stage.

Deciduous teeth often remain in their sockets until they are pushed out by adult teeth. Normally, this is a simple, natural process. If a child loses a primary tooth prematurely as a result of decay or an accident, the space left by the missing tooth may be replaced by a permanent tooth. This might result in overcrowding of permanent teeth, resulting in their crooked eruption. If you have any worries, do not hesitate to contact your child’s dentist.

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Baby Teeth Timeline

Primary teeth develop when the infant is still in the womb. The baby’s jaws generate the first buds of baby teeth around 5 weeks of pregnancy. At birth, an infant’s 20 primary teeth have virtually completed their crowns and are concealed under the newborn’s jawbones. The first baby teeth begin to appear at roughly 6 months of age. The bottom central incisors (the two bottom front teeth) are often the first teeth to erupt. The upper four front teeth then emerge. Then, additional teeth grow slowly, typically in pairs – one on either side of the upper or lower jaw – till all 20 teeth (10 in the upper jaw and 10 in the lower jaw) have erupted by the time the child is 2 – 3 years old. The jaws of the kid continue to develop, preparing for the emergence of permanent (adult) teeth around the age of six. Deciduous teeth begin to fall out between the ages of 6 and 7. This process continues until the child reaches the age of about 12. While each child’s teeth eruption date is unique, the order in which teeth erupt is more consistent. By the time your kid reaches the age of 21, he or she should have erupted all 32 permanent teeth.

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What should be done if a child has a loose tooth?

Allowing a loose tooth to fall out naturally is the wisest course of action. It may be wiggled but should not be pulled on prematurely as this may damage the tooth root, increasing the risk of infection, bleeding, and bacteria accumulating in the area. If a baby tooth is loose, your kid may carefully wiggle it. Even if the motion is minor, wiggling the teeth on a daily basis teaches your child to gauge the degree of looseness and helps minimize surprises.

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When it comes to wiggling, the back and forth action is not sufficient to release the tooth from the gums. Try to twist the teeth clockwise and thereafter counter-clockwise is another good technique for accelerating the tooth’s fall out. When the primary tooth is entirely loose and ready to fall out, the following tips will assist you in preparing for the big event:

• Put an ice cube along the gums for a few minutes before wriggling it out. This will help numb your child’s gums and make the treatment more comfortable.

• Using a clean tissue or napkin, dry the teeth. While wet teeth are exceedingly slippery, dry teeth are much easier to grab.

• Hold for 5-10 seconds while twisting the teeth in one direction. Then twist and hold in the opposite direction. By maintaining the tooth in the twisting position, the gum fibers are stretched, allowing the tooth to be pulled more easily from the gums.

NOTE: Tell your child that when the tooth is extracted, tingling and bleeding may occur (this may differ per kid), but that everything will be alright and the discomfort and bleeding will diminish quickly. Instruct your youngster to rinse their mouths with warm saltwater after pulling their tooth out. This will relieve any pain and aid in the termination of the bleeding. Place a damp towel against the new gap between their teeth until the bleeding completely stops. If the bleeding or pain persists, an oral analgesic, an over-the-counter anesthetic, may be administered. Consult your pediatric dentist if the bleeding or pain persists for longer than an hour. There is no cause to be concerned if your child unintentionally swallows a baby tooth. Baby teeth are rather small and easily re-emerge.

Bear in mind that your child should continue brushing, flossing, and eating normally while his or her tooth is loose. Ibuprofen is an excellent drug to give them prior to sleeping if they complain of feeling pain. While it is generally good to seek the advice of a dentist on your child’s dental care, the truth is that you don’t need to consult a dentist except if your child is experiencing a serious dental problem. Simply maintain routine checkups and oral hygiene sessions with your child’s pediatric dentist to monitor their growth and dental health. However, you should take your child to the dentist if they display any of the symptoms listed below:

• Pain that is more severe than usual during the teeth eruption.

• Teeth get loose before the age of 5.

• Brushing your teeth and eating become more difficult.

• Around the tooth, excess plaque builds, resulting in red, irritated gums.

• Previously, the baby tooth was loose but has since regained its sturdiness.

• The adult tooth has already erupted, but the primary tooth has not yet become loose.

Should I worry if my child’s first teeth aren’t falling out?

Usually, there is a broad range of ages at which kids lose their milk teeth spontaneously and healthily. The majority of parents are concerned about their children’s delayed tooth loss between 8 and 10 years old. While nothing appears to be wrong in these situations, an orthodontist should be contacted. The orthodontist will then take an X-ray to determine your child’s condition. Parents should not be worried about delayed tooth loss except if the following conditions exist:

• Inadequate space for permanent teeth results in crowding. They may be unable to remove the deciduous teeth that are directly above.

• At birth, permanent teeth are not present. In most cases, a baby tooth does not fall loose until the permanent tooth below it tugs it upward to replace it. As a result, if a child is missing some adult teeth, this process is slowed down in certain sections of the mouth.

• When extra teeth grow, they can hinder the development of the adult teeth naturally. Your orthodontist can assess whether your child is experiencing a serious dental condition or is merely growing slowly.

Can a child lose a baby tooth too early?

A typical issue parents ask their pediatric dentist is whether their child’s deciduous teeth are coming out too rapidly or too slowly. Kids lose their primary teeth at varied ages, and the definition of “healthy” varies considerably. Rarely do baby teeth fall out prematurely. Normally, a child begins losing their first baby tooth around 6 years old and finishes the process around the age of 12. While this timetable is subject to change, it is concerning if your kid loses their first primary tooth before reaching 3 or 4 years old. Typically, they are lost early as a result of being knocked out or tooth decay. If your child loses his or her tooth before the age of six, you should consult a pediatric dentist to check if there are any underlying disorders or concealed trauma.

When deciduous teeth are shed prematurely, the adjacent teeth may move out of position. This is because the milk teeth serve as guides for the adult teeth, aiding them in properly erupting. This can have a detrimental effect on not just the emergence of the permanent tooth, but also on the development of neighboring teeth, resulting in significant alignment problems. Based on your child’s age and the position of the early lost tooth or teeth, interceptive orthodontic treatment may be necessary.

Sources:

• AAPD
• Signs and symptoms of primary tooth eruption