It’s always fun and exciting when your child loses their first baby tooth! For them, it represents a new phase in their life. We are asked all the time when the baby teeth should start falling out, and if there is a problem when it occurs too soon, or too late. Here is what we tell our patients.
Typically, most children will lose their first tooth by the age of six or seven, and they will generally fall out in the same order which they grew in. Although, just as children themselves are very different from one another, so are their teeth. It is possible that some kids may start to lose their teeth before the age of five, or that they remain firmly in place until eight. While this is not typical, it shouldn’t be worrisome. Keep track of when the first tooth came in and that can tell you something about how soon it will fall out.
The only time that you might have cause for concern is if tooth loss occurs before the age of four, or after the age of seven. Again, this is a general rule and could mean nothing, but in either case it should make you want to come in for an examination and X-rays just to be sure there is no problem.
If you would like to speak to our dentist about the life cycle of baby teeth, call Dr. Peter Lee and our helpful team at OPDSF Orthodontics. Phone: (415) 681-8500. Make an appointment or come by our office in San Francisco, California.
