At What Age Do Children Start Losing Baby Teeth?

05/23/2017

The transition from baby to permanent teeth is one of the most significant ones in a child’s life. As a parent or caregiver, you want to know how to make this process safe, stress-free, and memorable. Here, we discuss what happens with baby teeth during your child’s formative years.

Before Baby Teeth Come Out

Once all your child’s baby or primary teeth have come, they’ll stay in place for an average of three years, and not much will happen to these teeth between the ages of three and six.

Ages Six Through Ten

In most cases, baby teeth begin to fall out between ages six and eight. Typically, children lose about eight of them rather quickly during this period. Not much happens through ages eight to ten, which often surprises parents who are accustomed to seeing teeth fall out rather frequently.

Ages Ten Through Thirteen

Children lose their last dozen primary teeth between ages ten and thirteen. Some children lose these teeth more slowly than others, and it’s not unusual for a 14-year-old to still have some of their primary teeth.

Sequence of Tooth Loss

The age when teeth are lost is not as important as the order in which they fall out. Typically, you can expect your child to lose their baby teeth in this order:

Two bottom middle teeth
Two middle teeth on top
Teeth along the back and sides
The second molars in the back of the mouth, both bottom and top

Exceptions can exist, but it helps to anticipate the typical sequence for tooth loss. If your child’s baby tooth loss deviates considerably from this sequence, that’s a red flag to consult your local family dentist.

Also, if three months or more go by without a permanent tooth replacing a lost tooth, there may be an underlying issue. While parents pay attention to the last tooth lost, it’s more important to look at the permanent teeth that have yet to come in. It is a good idea to have the dentist examine the child’s mouth to determine if there is a problem that needs to be addressed.

Your Cincinnati Dentist Office Can Support Your Child’s Baby Tooth Loss

Consulting your local family dental provider when the first sign of a problem appears can save a lot of trouble later and can prevent many problems for the child. If you are looking for a Cincinnati family dentist, look no further than Dr. Paul Hynes and Dr. Andrea Schmerler of Beckham Square Family Dental in Blue Ash, Ohio. Feel free to call us at 513.489.7800 or use our online contact form.