Losing baby teeth is a completely natural process that every child goes through from about age 5. The baby teeth fall out one by one to make room for the permanent teeth. Sometimes this is very simple, but sometimes it is frightening for many children, and not every parent knows how to handle it.
1. The natural life cycle of baby teeth
Baby teeth are a child's first teeth and start coming in at around 6 months of age. When it is time for them to be replaced, the teeth loosen or fall out on their own in a similar pattern, one at a time. At this stage, a permanent tooth bud under each baby tooth grows straight up and dissolves the baby tooth's root. The crown of the baby tooth then falls out on its own to make room for the permanent tooth to come in.
Typical ages for losing baby teeth:
- Central incisors: 5 to 7 years.
- Lateral incisors: 7 to 8 years.
- First baby molars: 9 to 10 years.
- Baby canines: 10 to 11 years.
- Second baby molars: 11 to 12 years.