Children lose their baby teeth in roughly the same order they grew them in. The process typically starts around age 6 with the two bottom front teeth and wraps up around age 12 when the last molars fall out. While every child’s timeline varies slightly, the sequence itself is remarkably consistent.
The Standard Shedding Sequence
Baby teeth fall out in a predictable pattern that moves from front to back. Here’s the general order:
- Lower central incisors (bottom front two teeth): ages 6 to 7
- Upper central incisors (top front two teeth): ages 6 to 7
- Upper lateral incisors (next to the top front teeth): ages 7 to 8
- Lower lateral incisors (next to the bottom front teeth): ages 7 to 8
- First molars (upper and lower): ages 9 to 11
- Canines (the pointed teeth): ages 9 to 12
- Second molars (upper and lower): ages 10 to 12
The bottom teeth tend to loosen slightly before their upper counterparts at each stage. That’s why so many kids start with that classic gap-toothed grin on the bottom row. After the front eight teeth cycle through between ages 6 and 8, there’s often a quiet period of a year or more before the molars and canines start loosening.
Why Baby Teeth Fall Out
Baby teeth don’t just randomly loosen. The permanent tooth developing underneath actively dissolves the root of the baby tooth above it. Cells in the tissue surrounding the incoming tooth release signaling molecules that trigger this process, breaking down the root in much the same way the body remodels bone throughout life. As the root gradually disappears, the baby tooth loses its anchor in the jawbone and becomes increasingly wiggly until it falls out or is easily pulled free.
This is why the shedding order mirrors the eruption order. The permanent teeth that develop earliest push through first, dissolving the roots of the baby teeth that arrived first.
When the First Tooth Is “Late”
Age 6 is the average starting point, but some children don’t lose their first tooth until age 7. That’s still completely normal. The timing depends on factors like genetics, nutrition, and how quickly the permanent teeth develop. Kids who got their baby teeth later than average often lose them later too.
If your child still hasn’t lost a single tooth by age 8, it’s worth having a dentist take a look. An X-ray can confirm whether permanent teeth are developing normally beneath the gumline. In most cases, things are simply running on a slower schedule.
When Teeth Don’t Follow the Pattern
The sequence above is the most common pattern, but it’s not universal. One variation parents notice is “shark teeth,” where a permanent tooth pushes through behind or in front of the baby tooth instead of directly beneath it. This happens most often with the lower front teeth. Because the permanent tooth isn’t lined up to dissolve the baby tooth’s root efficiently, the baby tooth stays in place while the new one pokes through the gum nearby.
Shark teeth look alarming but usually resolve on their own. Once the baby tooth is wiggled out or falls out naturally, the tongue tends to push the permanent tooth forward into its correct position over a few weeks. If the baby tooth isn’t loosening at all after a couple of months, a dentist can remove it to make room.
Another concern is when permanent molars come in at an angle and press against the baby molar in front of them, sometimes causing that baby tooth to fall out too early. Losing a baby molar prematurely can create spacing problems, since the teeth on either side may drift into the gap and crowd out the permanent tooth that eventually needs that space. Most angled permanent molars correct themselves by around age 7, but a dentist can intervene earlier if X-rays show the baby molar’s root is being severely damaged.
The Gap Between Front Teeth and Molars
Parents sometimes worry when their child loses the front eight teeth by age 8 and then nothing happens for a year or longer. This pause is normal. The first molars and canines aren’t scheduled to fall out until ages 9 to 12, so there’s a natural lull in the middle of the process. During this time, permanent front teeth are settling into position and the jaw is growing to accommodate the larger teeth still to come.
The canines and molars shed in a slightly less predictable order than the incisors. Some children lose their first molars before their canines, while others lose the canines first. Both patterns fall within the normal range. By age 12 or 13, most children have lost all 20 baby teeth and have a full set of 28 permanent teeth in place, with the four wisdom teeth potentially arriving years later in the late teens or early twenties.
Helping a Loose Tooth Along
A tooth that’s actively loosening can take anywhere from a few days to a few months to fall out on its own. Gentle wiggling with clean fingers or the tongue is fine and won’t cause harm. Pulling a tooth that’s barely hanging on is usually painless, but forcing a tooth that still has significant root attachment can cause pain and bleeding.
Light bleeding when a tooth comes out is normal and typically stops within a few minutes with gentle pressure from a piece of gauze or a damp washcloth. The gum where the tooth was may look slightly red or swollen for a day or two as the permanent tooth continues to push through.