One of the more common questions any new parent looks up on Google has something to do with teething.
- “How do I know if my child is teething?”
- “When should my baby get his first tooth?”
- “My baby is 1 year old and still doesn’t have any teeth. Is that a problem?”
Understanding primary tooth development [also known as “baby teeth” or “deciduous teeth”] is a key part of supporting your child’s overall health and well-being. Your baby’s first teeth begin forming before birth and play a vital role in early nutrition, speech development, and guiding permanent teeth into place. While every child is different, most follow a general timeline for when teeth emerge, fall out, and are replaced. In this post, we’ll walk you through what to expect with teething when it comes to baby teeth.
1st Teething Milestone: Baby gets 1st tooth
Hooray! Baby gets 1st tooth! The first baby tooth usually erupts around 6 months of age, although it’s perfectly normal for it to appear a little earlier or later. Typically, the lower front teeth (central incisors) are the first teeth to erupt followed by the top 2 front teeth. Check out this chart below to see what’s the average age for each tooth to come in! Keep in mind, if you think your child is not following the average, that doesn’t mean that something is wrong. Your child is most likely following their own growth timeline. Our pediatric dentists evaluate and monitor your child’s growth and development at every visit. If we see a concern, we will certainly discuss it with you.
2nd Teething Milestone: All Baby Teeth are present
All Baby Teeth are present! Most children receive their last baby tooth between age 2 and 3. This completes their first set of teeth! At this stage children typically have 10 teeth on the top and 10 teeth on the bottom. 20 Teeth! That’s a lot! The best news about this milestone is you get a break from teething!! The downside is more teeth means more brushing. If you’re struggling to develop a strong oral hygiene routine, check out a previous post on How to Take Care of My Child’s Teeth!
3rd Teething Milestone: 1st Loose Tooth
As children start kindergarten, every child is asking, “when will I get a loose tooth??” Most children lose their first baby tooth around age 6. Of course, this can happen a little earlier or later and be perfectly normal. The main negative of losing the teeth later is jealousy starts to set in as more and more of your kid’s friends begin losing teeth. Reassure your child that everyone has the same number of teeth to lose and everyone catches up eventually. Get your cameras ready for some of the cutest pictures you’ll ever see once those teeth start to get loose! But don’t forget to keep your child away from older siblings and the internet who may have more “creative” ways of getting a loose tooth… yikes!
What happens next?
Tune in for a future post on the development of your child’s permanent dentition (also known as “adult teeth”). Meanwhile, if you have a question about how to handle your baby’s teething, when your toddler will get their next tooth, or why your kindergartener looks like they have shark teeth, don’t hesitate to come visit our expert pediatric dental team in Fayetteville! Request an appointment now and we’ll see you soon! Happy Teething!
