Questions You May Have About Your Child Losing Their Baby Teeth
Posted on: 4 October 2017
As a parent, you understandably have many questions about your child's baby teeth. Your questions may be about brushing habits or bottle feeding. However, as your child starts to lose their baby teeth and gain, there permanent ones, you may be saddles with more questions once again. Here are some frequently asked questions and answers to help you better figure out your child's dental health.
When Will All Your Child's Baby Teeth Fall Out?
Most kids have 20 baby teeth, which will all be in by the time they are a toddler. Then these baby teeth will usually fall out between the ages of four and seven. While you can't know for sure when all of these teeth will fall out, you can have a good idea of the order they will fall out. Baby teeth often fall out in the order that they came in. Of course, there are no hard-and-fast rules; for example, an accident or dental decay could warrant a tooth to come out sooner.
Should You Be Worried if Your Child Stops Losing Baby Teeth?
Preteen children will often lose their baby teeth at a slower rate or not at all. There is usually no cause for concern, as children can lose their last baby teeth by age twelve. However, if your child still has baby teeth in his or her teens, it's important to see a pediatric dentist or an orthodontist for an examination.
Usually the adult teeth pushes the baby tooth out, but if a permanent tooth is crooked underneath the jawline, then it cannot erupt. Your dentist will be able to extract the tooth and prepare your child for any needed orthodontics.
Some children have tooth agenesis, which means that some of their adult teeth were not developed. If this is the case, your dentist will be able to see these missing teeth on an x-ray. Since there is no underlying tooth to push the baby tooth up, your child may be encouraged to keep their baby teeth for longer and then be fitted with a dental implant or bridge when their jaw is fully grown.
If Your Child is Still Losing Teeth, is It Okay For Them To Wiggle Their Teeth?
Although a Tooth Fairy visit is tempting, your child should not be wiggling their baby teeth unless one is already really loose. Furthermore, if your child's baby tooth is loosened by an accident and not because of a permanent tooth coming up, they should definitely not wiggle it; it's important to get to a dentist ASAP. If loose baby teeth are pulled out too soon, the broken root can be prone to infection.
Should You Be Worried About Ridges On Incoming Permanent Teeth?
As your child's permanent teeth come in, you may be concerned about odd bumps on their teeth—especially the incisors. These rounded edges are called mamelon ridges, and they are perfectly normal for new teeth. Mamelon ridges aren't tooth defects—they're actually just how the cells of enamel come together during development. Most ridges get worn down as your child uses his or her adult teeth more and more. If mamelon ridges aren't worn down, it can be indicative of a malocclusion, such as an overbite. Your dentist can tell you if this is the case or not.
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