Losing Baby Teeth

The loss of baby teeth is an exciting milestone for little kids. Here's what to expect when the tooth fairy comes to call. By the editors of Parents magazine

Losing a baby tooth is the ultimate sign of becoming a big kid. In fact, it's probably more important to 5-and 6-year-olds than learning to read, write, or ride a bike. Kids competitively track how many teeth their classmates have lost, open their mouths to show off the progress, and endlessly trade tooth stories. My daughter, Amy, will never forget the day she lost a tooth during a school assembly; the principal held it up, and everyone applauded.

Baby teeth loosen as their roots dissolve, clearing the way for permanent teeth, explains George White, D.D.S., a professor of pediatric dentistry at Tufts University, in Boston. The bottom two front teeth are usually the first to go, followed by the top two in front.

Most kids have their first loose tooth at age 5 or 6, but it can happen when they're as young as 4 or as old as 8. (Children whose baby teeth erupted early usually lose them before late teethers do.) It generally takes a few months from the time a tooth becomes loose until it falls out. Teeth tend to fall out on their own -- becoming stuck in food or even getting swallowed, which dentists say is harmless. But loose teeth can also be stubborn, sometimes hanging by a thread for weeks. Is it okay for kids to wiggle them free?

Absolutely. "It's best to encourage your child to wiggle the tooth out on his own," explains Gerald Ferretti, D.D.S., a professor of pediatric dentistry at the University of Kentucky, in Lexington. "If it's extremely loose, you can take a tissue and try to rotate the tooth," Dr. White adds. If there's no root left, you should be able to pull it out easily. But don't force it, and never tie it to a string and yank --if the root is only half dissolved, it could break and become infected.

Gummy Grins

When a baby tooth falls out, the big tooth is usually underneath the gums, waiting to erupt. Your child's permanent teeth will have ridges on the biting edges at first (they haven't been worn down yet through chewing), and they'll be slightly less white than his baby teeth were. "As more adult teeth replace baby teeth, the difference in color becomes less noticeable," says Fred S. Ferguson, D.D.S., a professor of pediatric dentistry at the State University of New York at Stony Brook and founder of aboutsmiles.org.

Don't worry if your child's teeth look a little too big for his face; his head will keep growing, but his teeth won't. However, if the teeth seem crowded, you may want to talk to your dentist about arranging a consultation with an orthodontist.

Some kids develop two rows of teeth -- often called shark's teeth -- when the permanent teeth come through before the baby teeth have fallen out. The new teeth will push forward on the baby teeth, usually causing them to fall out within a few weeks, Dr. Ferretti says. Consult your dentist if the double row lasts for longer than three months.