Are you expecting a little one or do you have a child who's starting to sprout teeth? Congratulations! Now comes the fun part of trying to figure out how many milk teeth your baby will eventually grow. But don't worry, we've got you covered with this ultimate guide on all things baby teeth.
What are Milk Teeth?
Before diving into how many milk teeth children have, let's make sure everyone's on the same page with what exactly milk teeth are. They're also known as deciduous or primary teeth and they're the first set of pearly whites that begin to come in during infancy.
As babies grow, their jaws increase in size which leads to them needing more room for adult-sized chompers. That means that eventually, all 20 milk or primary teeth fall out (usually by age 12) and get replaced by permanent ones.
When Do Babies Start Getting Their First Teeth?
Babies' first tooth usually appears between six months and twelve months old but can come through as early as three months (lucky parents) or as late as 14 months old. Every infant is different so there's no need to be worried if your child hasn't started teething just yet.
The order of eruption can vary from child to child too but typically it goes:
- Bottom front two incisors
- Top front two incisors
- Lateral incisors (next door neighbors)
- First molars (back chewing grinders)
- Canines/eye-teeth (woof woof) 6.Second molars
Of course life has its own ideas so expect some variation!
How Many Milk Teeth Will My Baby Get?
Put simply: babies get twenty individual milk chompers total- ten up top and ten below-that arrive at stages throughout their development.
Here's a visual (chart) representation of when they'll pop up and what each set is called:
| Tooth | Age Erupted | Name |
|---|---|---|
| A | 6 months old | Lower central incisor |
| B | 7-8 months old | Upper central incisor |
| C | 9-10 months old | Lateral Incisors – the teeth just next to your baby’s middle teeth on both sides. |
| D | 14–18 months old | Molars – these are the first molars that come through cause your baby some trouble while eating. |
| E . №1C \ /2C | ||
| (same time) Canine Teeth |
If numbered from left upper between last two lateral inceseriors
D
F G When child is age of
about six years, you can't call 'em "milk teeth anymore!
What if Some Teeth Don't Pop Up?
It's not uncommon for one or more milk teeth to fail to erupt but don't fret-there could be several reasons why.
Sometimes it's just genetics at play-meaning the tooth simply never forms roots or due tonmalposition it will never break through.
Make sure your dental practitioner keeps monitoring missing chompers as over time it could lead to orthodontic (straightening ) issues with the developing permanent teeth.
How to Properly Care for Milk Teeth
Believe it or not, caring for baby teeth is just as important as taking care of adult ones. Here are some tips:
- Dental hygiene starts early! As soon as those first precious pearls appear begin cleaning them daily sounds easy but trust me, doing this twice a day can become an Olympic sport.
- Use a small smear of fluoride toothpaste on your munchkins brush- no larger than (!!), rice grain-sized amount should do the trick!
- Choose soft bristles and a small head make sure you're using age-appropriate toothbrushes lest little mouths get overwhelmed by a grown-up sized heads! 4.Try flossing once your child's teeth touch each other – Aim to start around two years old- guess what? They grow up so fast!! 5.Schedule regular dental visits at least every six months will help create good oral health habits from an early age.
Fun fact: Did you know that there are animal species (such as dolphins) who lose all their milk teeth and never regrow new ones?
Bottom Line
So how many milk chompers does my bundle-of joy need or have?
Twenty total, with ten up top and ten below-from central incisors to second molars-all waiting for memories and mishaps in equal measure!
Remember healthy baby teeth set the stage for strong adult dentitions so be vigilant about brushing regularly-twice per day-for best results in cooperation with biannual check ups!