Eruption of Baby Teeth

Primary teeth, also called deciduous teeth or baby teeth, are a child’s first set of teeth. A full set of primary teeth will begin to grow beneath the gums during the fourth month of pregnancy, which makes a nourishing prenatal diet extremely important as it affects the health and strength of the child’s teeth, gums, and bones.

Although primary teeth eventually fall out in preparation for adult teeth, they still play an important role in childhood development. Primary teeth facilitate proper jaw development, speech production, and good chewing habits. They also provide proper spacing and alignment for adult teeth when they come in. So, defending a child’s primary teeth from tooth decay, premature tooth loss, malnutrition, and childhood periodontal disease is very important.

Children generally experience the emergence of their first primary tooth around the age of six months to one year. Children will have a “full” set of twenty primary teeth by the age of three. The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends that parents schedule a “well-baby” visit to the pediatric dentist six months after the first tooth emerges to ensure that the child’s teeth are coming in properly and to learn essential care tips for a “no tears” daily oral care routine.

What do we know about primary teeth?

Primary teeth usually erupt in pairs which is why many children experience months where no teeth erupt and months where two or more teeth emerge at the same time. Due to the small size of a child’s jaw, primary teeth are smaller than permanent teeth and appear whiter in tone.

In most cases, primary teeth erupt earlier in girls than in boys. Lower teeth usually erupt first before upper teeth in both sexes. For school-age children, having a unique mix of primary and permanent teeth is to be expected.

What order do primary teeth emerge in?

Primary teeth have proven to emerge similarly in all children, though the order may still vary from child to child.

Generally, the very front teeth, the central incisors, on the lower and upper jaws come in first around the 6-to-12-month mark. These are the first teeth to be lost around the age of 6 or 7. These can be cleaned with a soft cloth to reduce the risk of bacterial infection.

Next come the lateral incisors which are immediately adjacent to the central incisors. These emerge on the upper and lower jaws after 9 to 16 months. These teeth are lost around the age of 7 or 8.

The first molars, which are large flat teeth towards the back of the mouth, come in on the upper and lower jaws after 13 to 19 months. The eruption of molars can be painful, but cool gauze, teething rings, and clean fingers can soothe any discomfort and soreness. These are lost at the age of 9-11.

The canine teeth or cuspid teeth emerge on the upper and lower jaws after 16 to 23 months. Canine teeth are right next to the lateral incisors and are lost at the age of 10-12.

Second molars are the last teeth to come in on the lower and upper jaw. They emerge after 23 to 33 months and are lost between the ages of 10 and 12.

To express any questions or concerns about primary teeth or to set up an appointment with our Brooklyn dentist, please contact Brooklyn Dentist.