When Do Baby Teeth Fall Out?.

Baby teeth usually begin falling out around age six and continue through the early teen years. The lower front teeth are often first, followed by upper front teeth, then baby molars and canines over several years. MouthHealthy provides tooth eruption charts for baby and permanent teeth. Timing varies, so a child who is a little early or late is not automatically in trouble.

A Typical Shedding Timeline

The sequence tells part of the story.

What Normal Can Look Like

Loose teeth often wiggle for weeks. Children may twist them with a tongue or finger until they fall out naturally. A little bleeding is common when the tooth finally releases. Encourage clean hands, gentle wiggling, and brushing around the area. Avoid tying a tooth to a door, yanking a painful tooth, or forcing a tooth that is barely loose.

Permanent teeth sometimes erupt behind baby teeth, creating a "shark tooth" look. This is common with lower front teeth. If the baby tooth is loose and space is adequate, the tongue may help guide the permanent tooth forward. If the baby tooth is not loose, crowding is severe, or the permanent tooth is coming in far out of position, a dentist should evaluate it.

The first permanent molars can surprise families because they do not replace baby teeth. They erupt behind the last baby molars, so no tooth has to fall out first. These new molars have deep grooves and arrive while children are still learning to brush well, which is one reason sealant conversations often begin around this age.

A child may call these molars "extra teeth" because nothing got loose first. They still need daily brushing as soon as they peek through.

Early loss can matter. If a baby molar is removed because of decay or injury years before the permanent replacement is ready, neighboring teeth may drift into the space. That can block eruption later. For those situations, read Does My Child Need A Space Maintainer?.

Late loss can matter too, especially if only one side is delayed or a permanent tooth is missing, impacted, or angled. X-rays help show whether the adult tooth exists, where it sits, and whether the baby tooth root is dissolving normally. A retained baby tooth can sometimes stay for years, but it needs monitoring for root, gum, and bite changes.

One tooth is easier to judge with context.

Reasons To Ask The Dentist

Ask for an exam if a permanent tooth appears but the baby tooth is firm, a loose tooth hurts for more than a short period, a baby molar is lost early, or your child reaches age eight with no loose teeth at all. For sports injuries that change the timeline, see What Should You Do If A Child Knocks Out A Tooth? and Does My Child Need A Mouthguard For Sports?.