When Do Children Lose Their Teeth?

Most children start losing their baby teeth at around age 6.. There isn’t a strict timetable that every child follows. Some children lose their tooth a little earlier while others keep that wobbly little tooth until they’re 7 or so. Both can be perfectly normal.

When Do Baby Teeth Start Falling Out?

The lower front teeth are usually the first to go. A child may notice the tooth moving slightly at first then it becomes looser over the few weeks as the adult tooth underneath pushes upward.

By about 6 to 8 years old many children have lost several of their baby teeth. The adult teeth gradually take their place so you might suddenly notice that their smile looks completely different from a months earlier.

The Usual Age Range

There’s plenty of variation. A child who loses a tooth at 5 isn’t automatically ahead. A child who still has most of their baby teeth at 7 isn’t necessarily behind.

• Around age 6 is common for the loose tooth although individual timing varies.

• The bottom front teeth often move first while the upper front teeth tend to follow after.

• Some children are still losing baby teeth around age 10 or 11 which isn’t unusual if their teeth have developed a little later.

Why Do Children Lose Their Baby Teeth?

Baby teeth don’t simply fall out because they’re no longer needed. Their roots gradually dissolve as the permanent teeth develop underneath them. Eventually the baby tooth has less support, which is why it starts wobbling.

So the tooth gets loose. The adult tooth keeps moving into position. Then one day the baby tooth is in a childs hand of their mouth.

It sounds simple because it is. The body has basically planned the handover in advance.

What If a Tooth Falls Out Early?

A baby tooth coming out early because it was naturally loose is usually different from losing one because of an accident or severe decay. If a child knocks out a tooth before it was ready to fall it’s worth speaking with a dentist because nearby teeth can sometimes shift into the space.

When Should You Be Concerned?

A little variation is expected.. If a child is getting much older and hasn’t lost any baby teeth or an adult tooth appears while the baby tooth is still firmly in place a dental check is sensible.

The same goes for pain swelling, bleeding that doesn’t settle or a tooth that becomes loose after an injury. Those situations aren’t really part of the tooth-losing routine.

Don’t force a stubborn baby tooth out just because it looks ready. If its barely. Naturally coming away fine. Otherwise let it do its thing.

The Tooth-Losing Years Are Temporary

Children can look slightly different from week to week during this stage. One day there’s a gap. Then a new adult tooth appears. Then another baby tooth starts wobbling.

Most children finish losing their baby teeth by around 12 or 13 although the exact timing varies.. Honestly once those first few teeth start falling out the whole process usually feels much less strange than parents expect. You just get used to seeing another gap at breakfast.