Most children lose their first baby tooth around age 6 or 7, and the process continues until roughly age 12. The full timeline spans about six years, with teeth falling out in a fairly predictable order that closely mirrors the sequence they originally came in.
Which Teeth Fall Out First
The lower central incisors, the two front teeth on the bottom, are almost always the first to go. They loosen and fall out between ages 6 and 7. The upper central incisors follow closely behind, also around 6 to 7. After that, the lateral incisors (the teeth flanking the front two) come out between ages 7 and 8, both top and bottom.
There’s often a quiet period after those front eight teeth are gone. The next wave doesn’t start until around age 9, when the lower canines and first molars begin loosening. The upper canines, upper first molars, and all four second molars round things out between ages 10 and 12. By 12 or 13, most children have a full set of permanent teeth in place.
Full Timeline by Tooth Type
According to American Dental Association data, here’s when each baby tooth typically falls out:
- Central incisors (top and bottom): 6 to 7 years
- Lateral incisors (top and bottom): 7 to 8 years
- Canines (top): 10 to 12 years
- Canines (bottom): 9 to 12 years
- First molars (top and bottom): 9 to 11 years
- Second molars (top and bottom): 10 to 12 years
These ranges are averages. A child who loses their first tooth at 5 or doesn’t lose one until closer to 8 is still within normal variation. Girls generally lose teeth earlier than boys.
The First Permanent Molars Are Different
Around age 6 or 7, your child will also get their first set of permanent molars. These are easy to miss in the excitement over wiggly front teeth because they don’t replace any baby tooth. They grow in behind the last baby molar, in a spot where no tooth existed before. Because they arrive without anything falling out first, many parents don’t realize these are permanent teeth that need the same care and attention as adult teeth from day one.
What “Shark Teeth” Look Like
Sometimes a permanent tooth starts pushing through before the baby tooth above it has fallen out, creating a second row of teeth. This is commonly called “shark teeth,” and it looks more alarming than it usually is. It happens most often with the lower front teeth.
If the baby tooth is even slightly loose, encourage your child to wiggle it over the next several days. In many cases, it will fall out on its own and the permanent tooth will gradually drift into the correct position. If the baby tooth isn’t loose at all, or if it stays firmly in place while the permanent tooth keeps growing in, a dentist can extract the baby tooth to make room. Leaving it too long can push the permanent tooth out of alignment, potentially creating the need for orthodontic work later.
When Late Tooth Loss Is Worth Checking
The normal range for losing that first tooth stretches wider than most parents expect. Some children start at 5, others not until 7 or even 8. A later start doesn’t automatically signal a problem, but there are a few situations worth bringing up with a dentist:
- No teeth lost by age 8: At this point, an X-ray can confirm that permanent teeth are developing normally beneath the gums.
- Permanent teeth visible but baby teeth still firmly in place: This can indicate the baby tooth root isn’t dissolving the way it should, and extraction may help.
- Several baby teeth still present past age 13: This is uncommon and can sometimes point to missing permanent teeth underneath or other developmental factors that a dentist can evaluate with imaging.
What to Expect During the Process
A baby tooth loosens because the permanent tooth growing beneath it gradually dissolves its root. By the time the tooth falls out, there’s almost no root left, which is why lost baby teeth look so tiny compared to what you’d imagine. The gum may bleed lightly for a few minutes after a tooth comes out. This is normal and usually stops quickly with gentle pressure from a piece of gauze or a damp cloth.
Most children experience little to no pain when a tooth falls out naturally. The weeks of wiggling beforehand do most of the work. Some mild soreness around the gum is common as the permanent tooth pushes through, similar to what your child experienced during teething as a baby, though usually less intense. The new permanent teeth will look noticeably larger and slightly more yellow than the baby teeth they replace. This color difference is normal. Baby teeth have thinner enamel, which gives them their brighter white appearance.
The whole process from first lost tooth to last takes roughly six years, with the most visible changes happening in two clusters: the front teeth between ages 6 and 8, and the canines and molars between ages 9 and 12. In between, there’s often a stretch of a year or more where nothing seems to be happening at all.