The appearance of baby’s first tooth, often a highly anticipated and important milestone in our children’s young lives. The excitement over that very first tooth is quickly followed by other baby teeth and the dreaded stage of childhood dental development loosely called “teething”- ouch!
Pink cheeks, tender gums and so many remedies out there to help soothe the discomfort of that first set of teeth breaking through or erupting – a necessary process rewarded by our first set of teeth called our primary, or “baby,” teeth. We are usually born with 20 primary teeth – 10 each in our upper and lower jaws – that begin to erupt at age six months. They serve the very important task of helping to give our face its form as well as helping us chew and speak.
As this set of “baby” teeth begin to shed throughout childhood, they are gradually replaced by 32 permanent teeth – 16 on top, 16 on bottom. The first of our permanent teeth to erupt are generally our first permanent molars at around the age of 6 or 7 years old. These teeth do not replace any existing baby teeth and help shape the lower face. By the age of 13, most children have 28 of their permanent teeth. The last four teeth to appear are our third molars, or “wisdom” teeth, which generally erupt between the ages of 17 and 21 years old. Third molar are so far back in the mouth that they are difficult to keep clean and dentists sometimes recommend their removal to prevent future complications.
The charts below provide guidelines as to when the primary and permanent teeth erupt. We (and our parents!) all had to work hard to get these teeth, so make certain to do your best to take care of them by practicing good dental care and scheduling your next check up today!