When do baby teeth fall out? The full timeline, tooth by tooth
One day at pickup, your child grins and wiggles a front tooth with their tongue — and suddenly you need answers: is this the right age? Which teeth go first? How long does the whole thing take?
Here is the complete map: the typical order and ages, what counts as early or late (spoiler: the normal range is wide), the signs worth a dentist visit, and how to turn each of the twenty goodbyes into a small celebration.
The timeline: which teeth fall out when
Children have twenty baby teeth, and they usually leave in roughly the same order they arrived — front to back, bottom slightly ahead of top. The whole process spans about six years:
| Teeth | Typical age | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Lower central incisors (bottom front) | 6 – 7 years | Almost always the openers — the classic first wiggly tooth |
| Upper central incisors (top front) | 6 – 7 years | The iconic gap-toothed school photo |
| Lateral incisors | 7 – 8 years | The smile widens; new adult teeth look big at first |
| First molars | 9 – 11 years | Often loosen quietly and surprise everyone at dinner |
| Canines | 9 – 12 years | The stubborn ones — they can wiggle for weeks |
| Second molars | 10 – 12 years | The grand finale of the Tooth Fairy era |
These ranges are typical, not rules: healthy children run a year or more ahead or behind the table, and girls tend to run slightly earlier than boys.
Early, late — when is it worth asking a dentist?
The range of normal is wider than most parents expect. A first tooth lost at five and a half or a first tooth holding on past seven can both be perfectly fine, especially if baby teeth also arrived early or late — the schedules tend to match.
A few situations do deserve a professional look: a tooth lost before age four or five (especially from a knock or fall), no wiggly teeth at all by around age seven or eight, an adult tooth erupting behind a baby tooth that refuses to leave (the “shark teeth” look — common and usually self-resolving, but worth confirming), or pain and swelling around a loose tooth.
None of these are emergencies in most cases — they are “mention it at the next checkup” items, or a quick call if there was an injury involved.
To pull or not to pull?
The short answer dentists give: let the tooth do the work. A baby tooth that is ready detaches almost by itself — the famous apple, a sneeze, one last wiggle. Forcing one that is not ready can hurt, bleed more than necessary and bother the adult tooth underneath.
What helps without forcing: letting your child wiggle it with a clean finger or their tongue (they will anyway), soft twisting once it hangs by a thread, and crunchy foods doing their quiet demolition work. If a very loose tooth is genuinely bothering them for days, the dentist can take it out in seconds.
Caring for the gap and the newcomers
When the tooth comes out, a little bleeding is normal: a piece of clean gauze and gentle pressure for a few minutes settles it. Rinsing softly with water is fine; vigorous swishing right away is not.
The new adult teeth deserve a proper welcome — they are the ones your child will keep. Brushing twice a day matters more than ever now, and the slightly ridged edges and yellower shade of new adult teeth compared to baby teeth are completely normal (baby teeth are unusually white; the newcomers only look dark next to them).
Twenty goodbyes worth celebrating
A lost tooth is one of the first times children feel themselves growing up — visibly, in the mirror, with photographic evidence. It deserves more ceremony than a coin changing hands while they sleep.
Families build the ritual their own way: the keepsake box with a slot for each tooth, the photo with every new gap, the letter from the Tooth Fairy in tiny handwriting — and, the newest addition, a real call from the Tooth Fairy herself, where she congratulates your child by name, asks how the tooth finally came out, and reminds them to brush the new arrivals. You prepare what she knows; the wide eyes take care of themselves.
Frequently asked questions
What age do kids start losing baby teeth?
Around six for most children, starting with the bottom front teeth (lower central incisors). Losing the first tooth anywhere from five to seven is well within normal — children whose baby teeth came in early tend to lose them early too.
In what order do baby teeth fall out?
Roughly the order they arrived: bottom front teeth first (6–7), then top front (6–7), lateral incisors (7–8), first molars (9–11), canines (9–12) and second molars last (10–12). The full changeover takes about six years.
My child is seven and has not lost a tooth — should I worry?
Usually not: late starters are common, especially if their baby teeth also erupted late. Around age seven or eight with no movement at all, mention it at the next dental checkup — sometimes an X-ray just confirms the adult teeth are lining up on their own schedule.
What are “shark teeth” and are they a problem?
That is when an adult tooth erupts behind a baby tooth that has not fallen out yet, making a double row. It looks alarming and is usually harmless — the baby tooth typically loosens and leaves within weeks. If it holds on stubbornly, the dentist can help it along.
How can we celebrate a lost tooth beyond money under the pillow?
The memorable extras: a tiny letter from the Tooth Fairy, a keepsake box or tooth chart, the gap-tooth photo tradition — or a real call from the Tooth Fairy on PapaNoel.chat, where she congratulates your child by name and asks about the wiggly tooth. The first welcome call is free.
A wiggly tooth is big news. Tell the Tooth Fairy.
She calls your child by name, asks how the tooth came out and celebrates that they are growing up — a real conversation, prepared by you. First welcome call free.
Related guides
How much does the Tooth Fairy leave per tooth?
What the Tooth Fairy leaves per tooth in the US and UK, how much for the first tooth, and ideas that beat cash — plus what to do if she forgets to come.
How to write a Tooth Fairy letter your child will keep forever
How to write a letter from the Tooth Fairy: ready-to-copy templates, tiny-handwriting tricks, first-tooth certificates and what to write when the tooth got lost.