Baby Teeth Falling Out — What to Expect
Seeing a loose tooth can feel exciting and a little strange. Most children start losing baby teeth around age 6, and the process usually happens slowly over several years.
The short answer
Yes, baby teeth falling out is a normal part of growing up. For many children, the first loose tooth shows up around age 5, 6, or 7. Some start a little earlier. Some later. That can still be normal.
Most children lose their 20 baby teeth in a general pattern. The lower front teeth often come out first, then the upper front teeth. Back teeth usually loosen later. Many children keep losing baby teeth until about age 10, 11, or 12.
If your child has a loose baby tooth, the usual next step is simple: let it loosen on its own. Gentle wiggling is fine if it does not hurt. Pulling too early can cause bleeding, pain, or leave part of the root behind.
This page is general information for parents. It is not medical advice. If you are worried about timing, pain, swelling, or how a new tooth is coming in, talk to a licensed pediatric or general dentist.
What usually happens when baby teeth fall out
Under each baby tooth, the adult tooth is slowly developing. As the adult tooth moves up, it helps dissolve the root of the baby tooth. That is why the baby tooth gets loose and finally falls out.
The process is often uneven. Your child may lose one tooth, then nothing happens for months. Then two more may loosen at once. That stop-and-start pattern is common.
A baby tooth may be loose for days or for weeks before it comes out. Some children barely notice. Others may talk about feeling pressure, tenderness, or the odd feeling of a tooth moving when they eat.
A small amount of blood when the tooth comes out can be normal. You can have your child bite on clean gauze or a clean cloth for a few minutes if needed. If bleeding does not stop, or your child has strong pain, call a licensed pediatric or general dentist.
What ages are normal
There is a wide range of normal. Many children get their first baby tooth around 6 months, and many start losing baby teeth around age 6. A common rule parents hear is: first in, first out. Teeth that came in earlier often fall out earlier.
A rough timeline looks like this: lower front teeth around ages 6 to 7, upper front teeth around 6 to 8, side teeth and first molars around 9 to 11, and the last baby molars and canines around 10 to 12. This is only a general pattern, not a schedule every child follows.
Sometimes a child loses a baby tooth earlier because of decay, an injury, or because the tooth never formed normally. Sometimes a child is simply a late bloomer. State rules and office policies vary, but many parents choose to ask questions if no teeth are loose by around age 7 or if baby teeth are still not falling out much later than expected.
If your child seems far ahead or far behind the usual pattern, a dentist can check whether the adult teeth are developing and whether the timing looks healthy.
When to pay closer attention
A few things can look surprising but are still common. One is when the adult tooth starts coming in behind a baby tooth before the baby tooth falls out. Parents sometimes call this a "shark tooth" look. It can happen, especially on the lower front teeth. Sometimes the baby tooth loosens and comes out on its own soon after.
Another common concern is crooked-looking new front teeth. Adult teeth are often larger than baby teeth, so they can look crowded or uneven at first. As more teeth come in and the jaw grows, the smile may change a lot.
There are times when it makes sense to call a dentist sooner. Talk to a licensed pediatric or general dentist if your child has swelling, fever, pus, bad breath that does not go away, trouble eating because of pain, a broken loose tooth, or a baby tooth that was knocked out or pushed up after an injury.
Also call if the adult tooth is fully coming in and the baby tooth is still firm, if the loose tooth hurts a lot, or if a tooth falls out much earlier than expected and you are not sure why.