Children generally begin to lose their teeth by age 6 and will continue to lose them for the next several years as they get their adult teeth in. If your child begins losing teeth earlier than age 4 ½, you should see a dentist to evaluate your child for any oral health problems.

Timing of Lost Primary Teeth

Generally, anytime within these years is normal, but a dentist visit can help ensure your child’s adult teeth are on their way!

Age 6-7: Lose First Tooth (Central Incisor)

The first teeth to be lost are usually the central incisors—these are the teeth in the center of the top and bottom rows of teeth, also known as the front teeth or biting teeth. Many children lose their bottom teeth first, but top or bottom teeth may be lost around the same time, which is around age 6 for many children!

Age 7-8: Lose Lateral Incisor

Also known as laterals, these teeth are the teeth neighboring the front teeth. They are usually the next to go after the central incisors and will happen with a year or around the same time as your child’s first baby teeth.

Age 9-11: Lose First Molar

The molars are those bigger teeth towards the back of the mouth that are designed for grinding up food. Your child will tend to lose these teeth a little later in their childhood years, around age 9 or possibly age 11. Your child’s adult molars should be on their way in!

Age 10-12: Lose Canines

Your child will lose their top and bottom canines around the same time, around ages 10-12. Many kids experience a gap in losing teeth between ages 8-10 after losing their incisors but before shedding their molars.

Ages 10-12: Lose Final Primary Teeth (Second Molars)

The second molars are usually the last teeth in the mouth to be shed. These are also the teeth that come in the latest during your child’s toddler years, so it makes sense that they are around for longer! Don’t forget your child’s third molars— also called wisdom teeth— will arrive around the ages of 17-21!

When Is It Too Late to Lose Primary Teeth?

Just as early tooth loss could potentially be a problem, so can late tooth loss. Visiting your dentist can help identify any problems that are present. If your child has not begun losing their teeth by age 7 or 8, you should be concerned.

Losing baby teeth can be a fun experience for children and is a great opportunity for you to talk with them about how important their teeth are to their health. The arrival of their adult teeth is a great milestone for many children, so teach them how to properly care for their teeth and visit your dentist for a checkup!

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Is it Loose?

When your child’s tooth begins to get loose, there are a couple of things happening in the mouth here—the first is that the adult teeth have actually started to grow, so the roots of the baby teeth get reabsorbed into the mouth. The second thing that’s happening is that since the tooth now no longer really has “roots”, it is usually only still there by a small amount of tissue. This is usually when the tooth becomes very loose and will fall out. If your child’s tooth feels extremely loose, it’s ok to pull it. Make sure that your hands are dry and try to dry the area around your child’s tooth as best as you can. Many people prefer to use a tissue or a soft cloth to grab hold of the tooth which will help keeping the area dry. A twisting motion is best when pulling that tooth out, and don’t worry about hurting your child—since there’s no roots left, there’s usually little to no pain when pulling out very loose baby teeth.

Give it Time

When it comes to deciding whether or not to pull your child’s baby tooth out, it’s always best to give it time. Your child’s adult teeth will begin to grow, loosen the baby teeth, and fall out on their own normally. If you feel your child’s baby tooth and it feels pretty rooted in there, this is not the time to begin pulling and you may hurt your child as the roots may still be connected, meaning the tooth is just not ready to come out yet. As the tooth becomes looser, you can encourage your child to work the tooth back and forth or push it with their tongue. Many children love doing this and find it exciting. With your child’s help and the body’s natural growth, it’s likely that the tooth will come out in no time. It’s only ok to pull when the tooth feels very loose— remember, teeth that feel solid in the mouth should not be yanked or twisted. Give your child’s baby teeth the time they need to come out on their own.

Your child is growing and changing constantly throughout the years they lose their baby teeth. While pulling baby teeth may be necessary at points (such as if the tooth is extremely loose and there is a risk for your child accidentally swallowing it while eating), you should encourage your child to help loosen the tooth and let it come out on its own. Have fun!

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Chances are, once a tooth is loose your child may have some fun wiggling it around, which is not only fine, but perfectly encouraged! If the tooth is extra loose and hanging on by a thread, you can take a soft tissue and try to rotate the tooth around. If the root is gone, the tooth should wiggle away from the gums freely. Do not force a tooth that is not ready to come out! This could break the root and leave the area prone to infection. Wiggling is fine, but make sure the tooth is nice and ready to come out to avoid pain and discomfort. Some teeth can take a couple months from the time the tooth becomes loose until it is ready to come out.

As you may expect, all new “adult” teeth will be clearly bigger than the previous teeth. This mix of smaller and larger teeth may look a bit funny, but it is completely normal. Remember that your child’s head will keep growing, but his teeth will not! These adult teeth have pronounced ridges because they have yet to be used. Once they have enjoyed a good amount of meals, those ridges will wear down. In addition, the new teeth will not be as white as the previous baby teeth. As more teeth come in, this difference in color will become less noticeable.

Regardless of when and how a child loses his or her first tooth, the excitement and curiosity remains the same. With luck, they may even head to bed early for their first tooth fairy interaction.

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