Thursday, March 15, 2012

Baby and Permanent Teeth Eruption Charts


 Have you ever asked yourself one of these questions?
  • When do baby teeth come in? 
  • Which tooth comes in first?
  • How is the baby teething schedule? 
  • How many teeth do babies have?
If you are a first mom, you probably have.

Even though baby teeth (primary dentition) eruption may vary from child to child, most children will have their lower central incisors (see chart below) breaking through their gum at 6 months of age followed by the upper incisors. Don't be alarmed if your baby's teeth start to come in at 4 months of age or if it doesn't start until your baby is 9 months old. As I mention before, the variation is normal.

The most common order of baby teeth eruption is:
  1. Lower central incisors
  2. Upper central and lateral incisors
  3. Lower lateral incisors
  4. First Molars
  5. Canines
  6. Second Molars
Usually:
  • They come in pairs 
  • Lower teeth erupt first
  • Girls' schedule is ahead of boys
  • Baby teeth are whiter than permanent teeth

It is also normal to have gap between the teeth in the primary dentition.


Primary Teeth Eruption Chart

IMAGE: Primary Teeth Eruption Chart
 Chart from the American Dental Association (ADA)


As you see on the chart, the primary dentition consists of 20 teeth: 8 incisors, 4 canines and 8 molars. Most children will have all 20 baby teeth by the time they are 3 years old. At around 6 years of age, the baby teeth start to shed as the permanent teeth start to erupt.

Although baby teeth are temporary, it is very important to take good care of them. They serve as a guide for the eruption of the permanent teeth; maintain the proper space for the permanent teeth; help the development of a good speech and are very important for proper nutrition.

In fact, oral care is important even before the first tooth comes in. Parents should clean the baby's gum with a soft damp cloth twice a day (mornings and before bedtime). Once the first tooth comes in, it should be brushed with a soft age appropriate sized tooth brush and water (fluoride toothpaste is not recommended for children under 2 years old) at least twice a day . Children older than 6 months may need fluoride supplement to reduce the risk of tooth decay if the local drinking water doesn't contain enough fluoride (ask your dentist).

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recommends parents to take their children for a first dental visit no later than the child's first birthday. Prevention is the key!

It is important to mention that the first permanent teeth to erupt are the first molars (together with the lower incisors) and they come in behind the last baby teeth (baby second molars). This is important because since there is no shed, most parents tend to think they are baby teeth.


Permanent Teeth Eruption Chart

IMAGE: Permanent Teeth Eruption Chart
Chart from the American Dental Association (ADA)


There are 32 teeth in the permanent dentition: 8 incisors, 4 canines, 8 pre-molars and 12 molars. The permanent teeth eruption starts at age of 6-7 (permanent lower central incisors) and finishes at age of 17-21 (third molars).



Image Source: Photostock



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1 comment:

  1. Thought my oldest (only 4 years old) lost a tooth the other day! She kept pointing it out, but she had popcorn in her teeth. lol. Thanks for noticing the missing "r". xo, Becky

    ReplyDelete

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