Along with increased independence and academic challenge, you child's elementary school years usher in other signs that she's becoming one of the "big kids"--the loss of her baby teeth. Your child's teeth first become loose, subsequently fall out and are eventually replaced by permanent teeth. Loose teeth and baby tooth loss usually follows a predictable pattern, says Mayo Clinic prosthodontist Dr. Alan Carr.
Why Children Lose Teeth
Baby teeth, also known as primary teeth or less formally, "milk teeth," serve as temporary placeholders until your child's permanent adult teeth come in. According to the American Dental Association, your child's first baby teeth typically emerge as early as 6 months of age, with the second molar coming in as early as 23 months. Most children have a full set of teeth by 3 years of age, says the ADA. Permanent teeth, which are larger than baby teeth, are a better fit for your child's growing head, according to a December 2001 article in Parents magazine.
Baby Tooth Loss
Your child can expect her first baby tooth to begin to wiggle around the age of 6 or 7, says Dr. Carr, although Parents magazine indicates that children can start to lose teeth as early as age 4 and as late as age 8. Girls usually start to lose baby teeth earlier than boys. Baby tooth loss may be noticed earlier in children who teethed early, says Parents magazine. It takes a few months from the time a baby tooth becomes loose until it falls out.
Tooth Loss Pattern
Your child generally loses her baby teeth in the same pattern in which they grew in. Dr. Carr states the lower central incisors--the two front bottom teeth--are usually the first to go, then the two top front teeth. Then the lateral incisors fall out, followed by the first molars, canines and second molars. By the time your child is 12 or 13, she'll likely have lost all of her baby teeth.
Cautions and Concerns
A loose tooth may not bother your child too much, but it can be a source of trepidation for her as well. The loose tooth may come out when your child is eating and even accidentally be swallowed. According to Parents magazine, dentists say this isn't harmful. But sometimes baby teeth hang on by a root for an extended time. It's fine to encourage your child to wiggle the tooth to loosen it some more, says Parents magazine, but don't pull the tooth out unless you're sure the root has dissolved. Your child may have problems biting and chewing with missing or loose teeth, but it's important to make sure she continues to eat a healthy diet. Parents magazine suggests including soups, pureed foods and other soft, nutritious foods in her diet.
Helpful Tips
Maintaining good dental hygiene is important while your child is losing her baby teeth. The ADA states that this stage of life is the ideal time to stress the importance of brushing the teeth twice daily and using dental floss once a day. The ADA advises that your child make her first visit to the dentist six months after the first tooth comes in but no later than her first birthday and at regular intervals thereafter. If your child hasn't lost a tooth by the time most of her friends have had their first visit from the tooth fairy, there's usually not a serious problem, states Parents magazine. Talk to your child's dentist if she hasn't lost her first baby tooth by age 7.
