Baby teeth typically start falling out around age 6 and finish by age 12 or 13, following a predictable sequence that mirrors the order they first appeared. The bottom two front teeth go first, usually between ages 6 and 7, followed closely by the top two front teeth. From there, the process moves outward and backward through the mouth over the next several years.
The Order Baby Teeth Fall Out
Baby teeth fall out in roughly the same order they came in. The lower central incisors (bottom front teeth) loosen first, followed by the upper central incisors (top front teeth). Next come the lateral incisors, which sit on either side of the front teeth. After that, the first molars go, then the canines (the pointed teeth), and finally the second molars at the back of the mouth.
Here’s the general timeline:
- Lower and upper front teeth: ages 6 to 8
- Lateral incisors: ages 7 to 8
- First molars: ages 9 to 11
- Canines: ages 9 to 12
- Second molars: ages 10 to 12
Every child’s timing varies by a year or two in either direction. Girls tend to lose their teeth slightly earlier than boys. If your child hasn’t lost any teeth by age 8, it’s worth mentioning to a dentist, but a late start alone isn’t a sign of a problem.
Why Baby Teeth Fall Out
Baby teeth don’t just loosen randomly. The process is triggered by the permanent tooth developing underneath. As the adult tooth pushes upward, it sends chemical signals that activate specialized cells near the baby tooth’s root. These cells gradually dissolve the root from the bottom up, in a process similar to how the body naturally remodels bone throughout life. Once enough of the root has dissolved, the baby tooth has nothing anchoring it in place and becomes loose.
This is why a tooth that’s loose on schedule usually doesn’t hurt much. The root has already been broken down by the time you notice the wiggling. A tooth that gets knocked loose by an injury, on the other hand, still has its root intact, which is why that kind of looseness feels different and needs a dentist’s attention.
What to Do With a Loose Baby Tooth
Let it come out on its own. A child’s natural wiggling with their tongue or clean fingers is enough to work a ready tooth free. There’s no need to pull, twist, or tie anything to a doorknob. If wiggling hurts, the tooth probably isn’t ready yet, and forcing it can damage the gum tissue or the permanent tooth underneath.
A few situations do call for a dental visit. If a molar loosens before the front teeth have fallen out, that’s out of sequence and worth checking. If a tooth gets knocked loose from a fall or sports injury, call the dentist to rule out damage to surrounding teeth or the jawbone. And if a tooth seems loose for no clear reason, especially if there’s swelling or discoloration, get it looked at.
When Baby Teeth Don’t Fall Out
Some people reach their teens or even adulthood with one or more baby teeth still in place. The most common reason is that the permanent tooth underneath simply never developed. Without that adult tooth pushing upward and triggering root dissolution, the baby tooth has no biological signal to leave. This happens more often than you might expect and can run in families.
Other causes include crowding in the jaw that physically blocks the permanent tooth from erupting, ankylosis (where the baby tooth fuses directly to the bone), or the permanent tooth bud forming at an odd angle. Retained baby teeth can sometimes last decades if they stay healthy, though they tend to be smaller and may eventually wear down or develop problems that require treatment.
Adult Tooth Loss
Permanent teeth are designed to last a lifetime, but many adults do lose them. The numbers climb steeply with age: about 1% of adults aged 35 to 49 have lost all their teeth, compared to nearly 6% of those aged 50 to 64. Among adults 75 and older, roughly 1 in 5 have lost every tooth, according to CDC surveillance data from 2024.
Gum disease is the leading cause. It starts as gingivitis, with inflamed, bleeding gums, and can progress through moderate stages where bone loss begins, teeth shift, and sensitivity increases. In its advanced stage, gum disease destroys the jawbone structure that holds teeth in place. At that point, teeth may loosen and fall out or need to be removed. The progression from early gum inflammation to tooth loss takes years, which means it’s largely preventable with consistent brushing, flossing, and dental cleanings.
Diabetes raises the risk significantly. Nearly 25% of U.S. adults with diabetes aged 50 and older have severe tooth loss, compared to about 16% of adults without diabetes. High blood sugar reduces the body’s ability to fight infection, making gum tissue more vulnerable to the bacteria that drive gum disease forward.
Saving a Knocked-Out Permanent Tooth
If a permanent tooth gets completely knocked out by trauma, you have about 30 minutes for the best chance of saving it. Pick the tooth up by the crown (the white part you see when you smile), not the root. If it’s dirty, rinse it gently with milk or saline. Don’t scrub it or wrap it in tissue. The ideal move is to place it back in the socket immediately and hold it there while getting to a dentist. If that’s not possible, store it in milk, not water.
The critical factor is how long the tooth stays dry outside the mouth. Every minute of dry time reduces the survival rate of the cells on the root surface that allow the tooth to reattach. Reimplantation within that 30-minute window is the gold standard, but even a delayed attempt is worth trying. Most people don’t know these steps. Studies show that only 14% to 64% of people are aware of the 30-minute window, and fewer than half know that milk is the right storage medium.