How Many Baby Teeth Do You Have?

Most children have 20 baby teeth in total. That number seems small when you think about how room those little teeth take up in a child’s mouth. They usually start coming in around six months old though every child follows their schedule.

These first teeth are also called teeth or milk teeth. They’re not just temporary. Then forgotten. They help a child chew food properly and learn to speak. They also hold space in the jaw for the teeth that come later.

Where Are the 20 Baby Teeth?

The 20 teeth are split between the lower jaws. Each jaw has 10 baby teeth. So five sit on the side and five sit on the right.

At the front are the incisors, which are usually the first teeth parents notice. Behind them come the canine teeth and then the molars. The back teeth do a lot of work once children start eating solid foods.

Do All 20 Appear at Once?

No, not. They arrive one by one.

The lower front teeth often show up first. More teeth follow over the couple of years and most children have their full set of 20 baby teeth by about age three. Some children get teeth earlier. Others take their time.

Teething can be messy. A child might become fussy. Chew on things more often because their gums feel uncomfortable. Drooling is common too. Nothing glamorous about it.

Why Do Children Need Baby Teeth?

It’s easy to think baby teeth don’t matter much because they’ll eventually fall out. That’s a mistake. Healthy baby teeth make eating easier. Give children the chance to practise chewing before their adult teeth arrive.

They also guide teeth into the right general positions. If a baby tooth is lost earlier than expected the nearby teeth can move into the empty space. That can make things more crowded later.

There’s another reason to take them seriously. Tooth decay in baby teeth can hurt. A lot. Children don’t always know how to explain pain either so changes in eating or behaviour sometimes give parents the first clue.

When Do Baby Teeth Fall Out?

Most children start losing baby teeth at around six years old. The front teeth usually go first while the back baby teeth tend to stay

By the teenage years most children have replaced their baby teeth with permanent ones although the exact timing varies.

What If a Baby Tooth Falls Out Early?

• A loose tooth at the expected age is usually part of development though it can still feel strange to a child.

• Pain, swelling or a damaged tooth deserves a dental check rather than waiting for it to fall out.

• Missing space early can become a problem because neighbouring teeth may drift towards it.

So How Baby Teeth Do You Have?

The usual answer is 20 baby teeth. Ten are in the jaw and ten are in the lower jaw. They arrive over the years stick around for a while and gradually make room, for permanent teeth.

Twenty doesn’t sound like much.. Try keeping a toddler from brushing them properly every night and suddenly those 20 teeth feel like a full-time project.