08 Sep Tooth Fairy Day: When Do Children Start Losing Their Baby Teeth?
Aside from the magic of getting a prize from the tooth fairy, losing a tooth is an important part of growing up. Kids usually start losing their baby teeth around age six. It is important to let these teeth fall out naturally, as losing a tooth too soon can lead to complications.
Baby teeth serve many important functions. Not only do they allow your child to crunch nutritious foods, they also help them form the sounds needed for speech, and allow for the proper placement of adult teeth.
With Tooth Fairy Day right around the corner, let’s learn a little more.
Children Lose Baby Teeth to Accommodate Adult Teeth
The baby teeth start erupting around the age of six months, and continue popping up until all 20 emerge by the age of three. However, their mouths are too small to accommodate all of the 32 adult teeth they’ll need later in life.
When your child reaches the age of six, their permanent teeth will start to emerge, loosening the baby teeth at their roots. Eventually, this movement will cause the little teeth to fall out, leaving an opening for the adult tooth and an invitation to the Tooth Fairy!
But while it might seem like a rite of passage, never try to pull a loose tooth out before it’s ready. Pulling a tooth too soon can damage the gums, make the adult teeth grow in crooked, or even cause an infection!
When to Worry About Missing Teeth
While losing the baby teeth usually happens under normal circumstances, there are times when you should worry. Losing a tooth prematurely can be a dental emergency.
Always see a dentist if:
- The tooth loss is due to trauma. Impact accidents like running face-first into a pole or getting hit with a baseball can knock the baby teeth out. Not only is this painful, the missing teeth can cause difficulty with eating and speaking afterward.
- Only a part of the tooth comes out. Chipped and fractured teeth are always an urgent dental matter. If the pulp inside the tooth is exposed, it can be extremely painful and lead to infections.
- The loss happens BEFORE the age of 6 or AFTER the age of 13. Losing baby teeth too early, or the premature loss of a permanent tooth can both point to serious oral health problems that must be addressed.
Excellent Dental Care No Matter Your Age
Finding expert dental care for your whole family doesn’t have to mean making trips to seven different dentists. Here at Hicks Dental Group, we offer preventive, emergency, and cosmetic dentistry for patients of all ages.
With offices conveniently located in Prescott, Arizona, we are here to help keep you and your children smile with confidence. Contact us to make an appointment today.
Images used under creative commons license – commercial use (9/8/2025). Photo by Joshua Gresham on Unsplash