At What Age Do Children Lose Their Baby Teeth? | By Age

Baby teeth set the stage for speech, chewing, and jaw growth. Parents want to know when those small teeth loosen and fall out. Here’s the age window, the order, and what early or late loss can mean.

At What Age Do Children Lose Their Baby Teeth? Timeline And Order

At what age do children lose their baby teeth? Most kids see the first wobble near the sixth birthday, and the full handover wraps up by the early teens. The sequence mirrors how teeth came in: lower central incisors, upper centrals, laterals, molars, then canines. Girls often run a bit earlier than boys.

Think of tooth loss in two waves. Wave one is the front eight incisors between ages six and nine. Wave two is canines and molars between nine and twelve. The first permanent molars—“six-year molars”—erupt behind the baby molars and do not replace any baby tooth.

Typical Timeline By Tooth (Baby Teeth Shedding)

Tooth	Usual Age Range (Years)	Notes
Lower Central Incisors	6–7	Often the first to loosen and fall out.
Upper Central Incisors	6–7	Follow the lowers by weeks or months.
Lower Lateral Incisors	7–8	Edges in as permanent incisors align.
Upper Lateral Incisors	7–8	Common gap-tooth phase here.
First Molars (Baby)	9–11	Replaced by permanent premolars.
Canines (Cuspids)	9–12	Sequence varies top vs. bottom.
Second Molars (Baby)	10–12	Last baby teeth to shed in most kids.
First Permanent Molars	6–7 (erupt)	Come in behind baby molars; no baby tooth falls out.
Second Permanent Molars	12–13 (erupt)	Arrive near the end of the mixed-dentition years.

Losing Baby Teeth By Age: What Parents Can Expect

Early loosening around six is common, yet a range from five to seven can still be normal—especially if teething started early. The finish line sits near ages twelve to thirteen, when second permanent molars erupt and the last baby molars shed. A few months either way usually reflects normal biology.

Expect symmetry with small quirks. Teeth often fall out in pairs within a season. One side can lead if the partner follows soon.

Order Of Tooth Loss You’ll Likely See

Front and center first, then toward the back. Permanent incisors arrive early for speech and bite. Canines and premolars join later as the jaws lengthen.

• Lower central incisors → upper central incisors
• Lower/upper lateral incisors
• First baby molars (replaced by premolars)
• Canines
• Second baby molars

During this time, new permanent molars appear behind the baby molars. They do not push anything out; they simply add chewing power.

Daily Care During The Tooth-Losing Years

Brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and a small, soft brush. Floss once a day where teeth touch. Don’t yank a tooth that isn’t ready; let roots dissolve first. Gentle wiggling by the child is fine. A bit of pink on the brush after a tooth falls out usually stops with light pressure on clean gauze.

Diet plays a big part. Offer water often, save sweet snacks for mealtimes, and keep sticky candies rare. Sports drinks bathe teeth in sugar and acid; water or milk are safer defaults. A mouthguard protects new incisors for kids who skate, bike, or play contact sports.

Fluoride strengthens enamel; use a rice-sized smear under age three and a pea-sized amount from three to six, then a thin ribbon. Supervise brushing until your child can tie shoes well.

Helpful Charts And Prevention Moves

For a visual age range, the ADA eruption charts map out when baby teeth shed and permanent teeth erupt. Around age six, the first permanent molars erupt; that’s a good time to discuss dental sealants on those chewing surfaces to cut cavity risk.

Sealants are quick coatings that fill tiny grooves on molars so food and bacteria can’t settle as easily. They don’t replace daily care, but they reduce risk while brushing skills mature.

What’s Normal Variation Versus A Red Flag

Biology doesn’t run on a stopwatch. Family history, growth tempo, and eruption order can shift the schedule. A child who teethed early may shed early, and a late teether may shed late. Dentists look at patterns, symmetry, and function rather than the calendar alone.

Watch for red flags: pain that blocks eating, swelling, or a loose tooth that lingers while the permanent tooth struggles to erupt. Call your dentist if you see prolonged bleeding, gum pimples, or a color change that looks like decay near a loose tooth.

Why A Baby Tooth Might Fall Out Early Or Late

Early loss can follow a knock to the mouth or deep decay. Late loss can reflect a missing permanent tooth, a blocked path, or ankylosis (the baby tooth fuses to bone). Most have simple next steps once a dentist examines the mouth and a small radiograph confirms the path for the adult tooth.

If a baby molar is lost early and the permanent successor will be delayed, a small device called a space maintainer may be recommended to hold room. It keeps neighbors from drifting and crowding the space.

Early Or Late Loss: Common Causes And Next Steps

Cause	What You’ll See	Next Step
Early Cavity In A Baby Tooth	Dark spot, hole, or chip on a loose tooth.	Dental exam; fill or extract if needed; consider space maintenance.
Knocked Tooth	Wobbly tooth after a fall or collision.	Call the dentist the same day for evaluation.
Ankylosis (Tooth Stuck To Bone)	Tooth looks “sunken” compared with neighbors.	X-ray and dentist guidance; may need removal to free space.
Missing Permanent Tooth	Baby tooth stays long past the usual window.	X-ray check; monitor, reshape, or plan orthodontic care.
Impaction Or Crowding	Bulge in the gum with no tooth emerging.	Orthodontic consult; simple guidance or minor procedures.
Delayed Growth Tempo	Overall development runs a bit late.	Reassurance and routine checks if everything else looks healthy.
Medical Or Genetic Factors	Other growth differences or medication history.	Coordinate with pediatrician and dentist on timing.

Simple Steps That Make These Years Easier

Make Wiggles Safe

Let kids do the wiggling. Clean hands, gentle motion, and patience prevent sore gums. If a tooth is hanging by a thread during dinner, twist gently with tissue. If it resists, stop and try another day.

Protect New Molars

Six-year molars have deep grooves. Brush slowly along the grooves at night. Ask your dentist about sealants once the tooth has fully erupted and is dry enough to keep a sealant in place.

Keep A Small Tooth Box

A tiny container avoids lost teeth and keeps the mouth clean after a tooth falls out at school or practice. Rinse with water and press a clean gauze pad for a minute if there’s oozing.

Plan Regular Checks

Twice-yearly visits let your dentist track growth, jaw space, and the path of permanent teeth. If your dentist wants a quick X-ray, it’s usually to confirm that the adult tooth is on course or to spot crowding early.

Why The Schedule Differs Child To Child

Teeth follow the jaw. Growth spurts open space, pauses slow eruption. A child might go months without change, then lose two teeth in a week.

Sex differences play a small part. Many girls shed slightly earlier. Nutrition and brushing habits shift the picture too: less plaque means calmer gums, which can make wiggling and eruption more comfortable.

How Parents Can Track Progress Without Stress

Use a simple timeline card on the fridge. Note the first loose tooth date, the date it fell out, and which tooth came in to replace it. If you ever wonder, “at what age do children lose their baby teeth?” you’ll have a personal record to compare with the usual ranges. The next date to note is the first permanent molars—often the first big change around age six.

Take a quick photo smile every three months. Photos show gaps closing, new edges erupting, and left-right symmetry. If you see a baby tooth with a permanent tooth erupting behind it for more than a couple of months, ask your dentist whether a gentle removal would help the adult tooth slide forward.

When To Call A Dentist Soon

Call quickly if a baby tooth breaks at the gum line and leaves sharp edges, if a tooth is pushed out of position after an injury, or if swelling appears with fever. These signs point to more than routine shedding. Fast care keeps eruption on track and protects the developing adult tooth.

Also call if no baby teeth have loosened by age eight and your child teethed late, or if one side is a year ahead of the other. Many times the answer is reassurance, but a short visit and a small radiograph can save months of worry.

Quick Checklist Parents Can Save

• Age six: first wobbly incisors and first permanent molars arrive.
• Ages six to nine: the front eight incisors trade places.
• Ages nine to twelve: canines and premolars replace baby molars and canines.
• Age twelve to thirteen: second permanent molars erupt; most kids finish shedding.
• Brush with fluoride twice daily; floss where teeth touch.
• Ask about molar sealants once fully erupted.
• Use a mouthguard for sports to protect new incisors.

Parents often ask, “At What Age Do Children Lose Their Baby Teeth?” at the first wiggle and near the end. Start near six; finish by twelve to thirteen.