Baby Teeth Eruption and Teething Facts

Details on baby teeth, also known as deciduous teeth, milk teeth and primary teeth are given including their eruption time and fall times.

Children Primary Teeth

Deciduous teeth, also known as baby teeth, primary teeth, temporary teeth, milk teeth and fall teeth are considered essential in the development of oral cavity. The jaw muscles and the formation of the jaw bones depend on the primary teeth which are needed for chewing of food. The primary teeth are crucial for the proper development of a child's speech.

The development of deciduous teeth starts at the sixth week of development during the embryo phase of pregnancy. (Types of teeth)

The deciduous dentition usually have 20 primary teeth (deciduous or milk teeth), five per quadrant and ten per arch. The baby teeth are 10 in the maxilla (upper jaw) and 10 in the mandible (lower jaw).

The deciduous dentition is made up of two central incisors, two lateral incisors, two canines, two first molars and two secondary molars in each jaw. All of these baby or milk teeth are gradually replaced with permanent teeth except for the first and second molars; they are replaced by premolars. The replacement of deciduous teeth begins around 6 year age.

The process of shedding deciduous teeth and the replacement by permanent teeth is called exfoliation, which may last from age 6 to age 12.

Deciduous Teeth or Baby Teeth Chart

The eruption times of primary teeth or baby teeth vary from child to child. However, the time to erupt for upper teeth and lower teeth are different. First the lower central incisors (the two bottom front teeth) will erupt, followed by the upper four front teeth. By the end of 3 years all the 20 teeth will generally erupt. The complete set of primary teeth is in the mouth from the age of 30 to 36 months to 6 to 7 years of age. In some cases, all the teeth come very late.

Teething age of deciduous teeth are given in the following chart. The following primary teeth chart shows the approximate time when your child's primary teeth will erupt and shed.

You can keep a record of the time when each tooth of your child emerges. Just print the baby tooth chart.

Primary Teeth Eruption Facts, Teething Facts

1. The time to erupt upper and lower teeth are different.
2. The eruption of the teeth begins at the age of six months and continues until twenty-five to thirty-three months of age.
3. For every 6 months, approximately 4 teeth will erupt.
4. Teeth in both jaws usually erupt in pairs - one on the left and one on right.
5. Lower teeth usually erupt before upper teeth.
6. Usually the first teeth seen in the mouth are the mandibular (lower) centrals and the last are the maxillary (upper) second molars.
7. First the lower central incisors (the two bottom front teeth) erupt, followed by the upper four front teeth.
8. By the end of 3 years of age, all the 20 teeth should generally emerge.
9. The complete set of 20 primary teeth is in the mouth from the age of 30 to 36 months to 6 to 7 years of age.
10. In some children, all the teeth come very late.
11. Primary teeth are smaller in size and whiter in color than the permanent teeth.