It’s normal for children to start losing their baby teeth around age 6. This process continues until around age 12. So it’s common for kids to be losing teeth throughout the pre-teen years. Typically, the first teeth to fall out are the lower central incisors. After that, the upper central incisors and then the lateral incisors tend to come out. By age 10, most kids have lost a good number of baby teeth already. Here’s an overview of the teeth that commonly fall out around age 10:
Lower Teeth
In the lower jaw, children often lose these teeth around age 10:
- Lower central incisors – These two middle front teeth on the bottom typically fall out between ages 6-7.
- Lower lateral incisors – The teeth on either side of the lower central incisors usually fall out between ages 7-8.
- Lower first molars – These wide teeth towards the back of the mouth often fall out between ages 9-11.
Upper Teeth
In the upper jaw, these teeth frequently fall out around age 10:
- Upper central incisors – These two top middle front teeth are usually lost between ages 7-8.
- Upper lateral incisors – The teeth next to the upper central incisors tend to fall out between ages 8-9.
- Upper first molars – These broad upper back teeth often fall out between ages 10-12.
Why Do Teeth Fall Out at This Age?
There are a few reasons baby teeth become loose and fall out around age 10:
- The roots dissolve – The roots of baby teeth slowly dissolve over time as the permanent teeth develop underneath. This loosening process allows the baby teeth to eventually fall out.
- Permanent teeth push through – The new permanent teeth begin to emerge in the jaw and put pressure on the baby teeth roots above them. This helps push the baby teeth out.
- Jaw growth – As the jaw bones grow, they create less room for the baby teeth, helping push them out to make way for the permanent teeth.
The combination of these factors causes most children to lose a significant number of baby teeth around age 10. The average child has lost about half their baby teeth by this age.
Order of Tooth Loss
Baby teeth tend to come out in a predictable order. Here are some general guidelines for the sequence of when teeth fall out:
- Age 6-7 – Lower central incisors, upper central incisors
- Age 7-8 – Lower lateral incisors, upper lateral incisors
- Age 8-9 – First molars
- Age 9-11 – Second molars
- Age 10-12 – Canines (cuspids)
However, the exact timing can vary quite a bit between individual kids. While this sequence is common, don’t be concerned if your child loses teeth in a different order.
Last Teeth to Fall Out
Typically, the last baby teeth to fall out are:
- Second molars – These back teeth don’t have permanent successors. They usually fall out around age 11-13.
- Canines (cuspids) – The upper and lower cuspids are often the very last baby teeth to be replaced by the permanent canines around ages 10-12.
What Triggers Teeth to Fall Out?
A few things can trigger baby teeth to become loose and fall out around age 10:
- Biting into hard or crunchy foods – This extra pressure can help loosen teeth that are already ready to come out.
- Playing sports – Getting hit in the mouth with a ball or other impact can accidentally knock loose teeth out.
- Wiggling teeth – Gently wiggling very loose teeth back and forth can eventually cause them to come out.
- New permanent teeth – The eruption of permanent teeth just under the roots puts pressure on the baby teeth and causes them to detach.
However, parents generally don’t need to worry about accidentally pulling out a baby tooth too early. The teeth only become loose enough to come out easily when the roots naturally dissolve enough to detach from the bone.
What Happens After Teeth Fall Out?
Here’s what typically happens after a baby tooth falls out around age 10:
- Bleeding – There may be some minor bleeding from the empty tooth socket immediately after the tooth falls out. This usually stops within 30 minutes.
- Permanent tooth growth – Within a few months, the permanent tooth under the gums finishes developing and moves into place in the empty space.
- Jaw adjustment – The jaw bones continue expanding as the permanent teeth replace baby teeth.
- No tooth – When a baby tooth falls out, there will temporarily be an empty space with no tooth visible. This gap closes once the permanent tooth erupts through the gums.
Parents often worry about tooth gaps affecting their child’s smile or ability to chew. But rest assured, these normal gaps close up quickly once the permanent teeth come in.
Permanent Tooth Eruption
The permanent teeth begin pushing up from below the gums long before the baby teeth fall out. Here is the approximate timeline for permanent tooth eruption:
| Tooth | Eruption Age |
|---|---|
| First molars | 6-7 years |
| Central incisors | 6-8 years |
| Lateral incisors | 7-9 years |
| Canines (cuspids) | 9-12 years |
| Second molars | 10-13 years |
As you can see, most permanent teeth actually push through the gums years before the baby teeth fall out. The baby and permanent teeth briefly overlap, allowing time for the permanent tooth to grow into the right position.
Wisdom Teeth Eruption
The very last permanent teeth to erupt are wisdom teeth or third molars. These teeth emerge long after the baby teeth have fallen out, between ages 17-25. Wisdom teeth often have to be surgically extracted because there is not enough room for them.
When to See a Dentist
It’s normal to lose baby teeth around age 10. But see a pediatric dentist right away if your child has:
- Teeth that are knocked out or injured
- Painful or swollen gums
- Permanent teeth emerging in the wrong position
- Difficulty chewing or biting
- A fever or bad odor from a lost tooth
The pediatric dentist can examine your child, provide pain relief if needed, and check that the permanent teeth are developing properly. Proper dental care is important when children are losing baby teeth.
Helping Loose Teeth Along
Don’t pull out loose baby teeth too early. But here are a few helpful things you can do when your child has a loose tooth around age 10:
- Gently wiggle the tooth with dental floss – Tie floss around the loose tooth and loosely pulls back and forth.
- Give cold foods – Cold temperatures can help numb any pain from teething. Give cold soft foods like ice cream, popsicles and chilled fruit.
- Avoid hard foods – Avoid having your child bite into crunchy apples or tear meat off bones.
- Rinse after meals – Rinsing with warm salt water can soothe swollen gums after eating.
- Use pain relievers – Over the counter children’s acetaminophen or ibuprofen can relieve tooth pain.
- Cold compress – Apples a cold, damp washcloth or ice pack to the cheek to reduce swelling.
If a baby tooth is barely hanging on by a thread, it’s best to let nature take its course and have it pop out on its own. Just ensure proper dental hygiene and diet to avoid problems.
Conclusion
It’s very common for kids to start losing baby teeth around age 6, with the process continuing until around age 12. By age 10, most children have lost about half their baby teeth already. The first teeth to fall out are usually the lower central incisors, followed by the upper central incisors and lower and upper lateral incisors.
The molars in the back typically fall out next, between ages 9-11. The canines (cuspids) and any remaining second molars are often the last baby teeth to fall out between ages 10-13.
This loss of baby teeth around age 10 is perfectly normal and allows the permanent teeth developing under the gums to take their place. While losing teeth can be uncomfortable, it’s an important milestone that you can help your child through with proper dental hygiene, diet and tooth care. With an understanding of this process, parents can rest assured that those gaps from lost baby teeth will quickly fill in with permanent teeth.