Your child may be preoccupied with thoughts of the tooth fairy, but when they start losing their baby teeth, your focus should be on dental care and what’s coming next. Baby teeth fall out to leave room for permanent teeth, and the process is crucial to a child’s overall oral development. It’s important for this transition to happen on time, but knowing whether your child’s teeth are on schedule isn’t always obvious. Here’s a quick guide to help parents help their kids when they begin to develop permanent teeth.

A Guide to Dental Care & Permanent Teeth Eruption in Kids

When It Should Happen

The average age range for permanent teeth development is between six and 12 years old. By the time your child is 13, they should have a mouth full of healthy adult teeth, and that includes their back molars. When your child loses a tooth naturally, the permanent tooth should emerge from the gums within the next week. If the tooth was lost due to decay or trauma, this process could take longer. If it’s been several months and the gap in their smile still hasn’t been filled by an adult tooth, it’s time to talk to a dental care professional. Choose a pediatric dentistry clinic where the staff is specifically trained in the development of permanent teeth.

The Eruption Process & What to Expect

Most children start the transition from baby teeth to permanent teeth with the incisors located in the front and center of the mouth. The baby teeth start off slightly wiggly, and eventually, the roots give way to the permanent teeth waiting just below the surface of the gums. Losing these front teeth and growing new ones can affect the way your child eats and speaks, but it’s usually a pain-free process. As development continues, they’ll begin to lose their primary molars. Slight discomfort and bleeding are sometimes associated with losing molars and growing new ones, and it’s important to encourage good dental hygiene during this time. You can help your child by giving them a cold compress for the pain and monitoring their mouth for signs of complications.

The most important thing to remember when your child starts developing permanent teeth is to trust the right children’s dentist.

Pediatric Dental Group in Honolulu, HI, has been prioritizing the well-being of their young patients since 1966. Learn more about your child’s teeth by visiting their Facebook page, or call (808) 593-8828 to schedule a dental care appointment.