Front Teeth―First In, First Out

Front Teeth―First In, First Out

Children grow up too fast. So many milestones pass: crawling, walking, talking, getting his or her first tooth. Another milestone is losing his or her first tooth. As those baby teeth fall out and their adult counterparts come in, your child graduates to the next level of dental hygiene.

So what actually happens? In simple terms, your child’s permanent teeth slowly start growing below the primary teeth. As they do, the baby teeth’s roots begin to get absorbed into the gums. As the root recedes and the permanent teeth erupt, the primary teeth are pushed out―this is the “loosening” your child will be most preoccupied with. The permanent teeth take the place of the primary teeth, essentially following the same path previously followed by their predecessors.

The first baby teeth to go (absent any unforeseen trauma or deplorable hygiene habits) are usually the lower center incisors—the two bottom teeth in the middle. Why? Simple―these teeth are the first to come in and therefore the first to go. This pattern follows for all twenty of the primary teeth—for the most part, they will leave in the order they arrived.

Although there is no set time for this to happen, the first baby tooth typically will fall out when your child is between the ages of 4 and 7. As a general rule of thumb, the earlier your child gets a first tooth, the sooner he or she will lose the first tooth. If the front center teeth haven’t started loosening by ages 6 to 7, you should come see Dr. Jared, in case the permanent teeth are blocked by extra teeth present in the jaw. Once the front center teeth go, the rest will follow in a process that should last about six years from start to finish.

Be ready for when your child’s teeth start to fall out. Communicate with your child about why his or her tooth is falling out and why it is not something to worry about. You should also explain to your child why it’s not necessary to be overly ambitious and yank out any loose teeth. Don’t hesitate to call us with any concerns.

If you have questions about loose teeth, click here to schedule an appointment with Dr. Jared. Or give us a call at (509)-891-7070.