When Baby Teeth Fall Out

By the time your child reaches her third birthday (or thereabouts), all 20 baby teeth should be up and in business. But in a few short years, her permanent teeth will start rearing their little white heads. Curious about when you can expect the tooth fairy to come calling? Here’s a preview of what’s to come when those precious baby teeth fall out:

You can’t predict when baby teeth fall out. Just as it was impossible to pinpoint exactly when your baby would cut her first tooth, the same holds true for when she’ll lose it. In general, kids who were early teethers tend to lose baby teeth before the rest of their classmates, but for most, 6 or 7 is the age when that first tooth falls out. Permanent teeth (also called secondary teeth) push up from underneath the gum line and destroy the anchoring roots of the primary teeth. Sometimes, some of the new teeth come in before the old ones leave, creating two rows of teeth —but this is only temporary. You’ll soon be able to say “see you later, alligator” (teeth, that is).
Expect your big kid’s teething patterns to be similar to baby teething patterns. Usually, a child’s baby teeth fall out in the order that they came in: the two bottom middle teeth (lower center incisors) are typically the first to go, followed by the top two in front. If your child begins to lose baby teeth before she’s four, consult her pediatrician or dentist to make sure there’s no underlying problem (sometimes a younger child can lose teeth to decay). The same goes for the other end: If baby teeth show no signs of exiting by age 8, check with her dentist (and check out these tips for her first dentist visit).
Give a loose tooth time. It generally takes a few months from the time a tooth becomes loose until it drops out. Sometimes baby teeth fall out on their own by getting stuck in food. If a wobbly tooth bothers your child, you can encourage her to wiggle it gently to help it come out faster, but remind her not to yank it before it’s ready. Yanking out a reluctant tooth breaks the root, leaving the space more vulnerable to pooling bacteria and infection. If a loose baby tooth remains in place after a few months, check in with the dentist — it may need to be pulled, but by a professional.
Prep for some teething pain (again). If your 5- or 6-year-old complains of pain in the back of her mouth (sometimes it travels to the jaw or ear too), it's probably the 6-year molars trying to poke their way through. These molars can be painful to cut since there weren’t any baby teeth there to pave the way. All-fruit Popsicles and ice cold water can help, and you can give your child ibuprofen to ease the pain (especially at night).
Get ready for funny-looking teeth. Don’t be surprised if your child looks a bit beaver-like when those first permanent teeth poke through. Those big new teeth can look giant-sized in that still-little mouth, but your child will grow into them. Permanent teeth also tend to be less white than baby teeth, and they’ll have pronounced ridges when they first poke through, but only because they haven’t been worn smooth yet by chewing.
Expect teething to last a long time. It took three years for your child to get a full set of baby teeth, but it takes decades until she’ll have all her permanent ones. That’s because there are three sets of molars: first molars (6-year molars), second molars (12-year molars), and third molars (wisdom teeth), which come in between the ages of 17 and 21. By the end of her teen years, your child will have 32 teeth that with proper care (all those good tooth brushing, flossing, and eating habits you’re instilling now) will last a lifetime.