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When Will My Child Start Losing Teeth?
Children usually begin to lose baby teeth around age five, though it can vary greatly with each child. Some children will lose teeth much earlier than others – so you may see a four year old with loose front teeth from time to time, as well as a seven year old who hasn’t lost any yet.
The first two teeth to become loose naturally (meaning they have not been traumatized or knocked out) are the two lower front teeth. Next come the teeth on either side of the lower front center ones. Then the two upper front teeth will become loose and fall out.
Baby molars and canines are the last to come out – the second molars and canines can come out as late as 12 to 13 years old!
That’s why it is so important to take good care of baby teeth and have any treatment needs completed in a timely fashion. Sometimes people think it’s okay to just leave cavities in baby teeth because they will fall out anyway – the truth is that some of the baby teeth won’t come out until the child is at least 11 years old! In the mean time, those teeth may become infected and damage the permanent teeth still developing in the gums underneath them. Not to mention that deep cavities and infections are very painful and can be life-threatening.
It is also important to take good care of baby teeth because it helps children get in the habit, so when their permanent teeth come in they will already know what to do.
Read More About Taking Care of Children’s Teeth Ages 1-4:
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