When Do Kids Start Losing Baby Teeth? A Parent's Timeline
Most children lose their first baby tooth around age 6 and keep losing baby teeth until about age 12, according to the Canadian Dental Association, and Health Canada's chart gives 6 to 8 years for the front teeth, though every child follows their own timeline.
Dr. Kyle Lesko
The quick version
Most children lose a first baby tooth around age 6 and keep losing teeth until about age 12, says the Canadian Dental Association.
Health Canada's chart gives 6 to 8 years for the front teeth and 10 to 12 years for the second molars (as of October 2026).
Wiggling a loose tooth is okay, but the Canadian Dental Association says not to use force on one that is not ready.
HealthLink BC says a knocked-out baby tooth is not put back in, and your child still needs a dentist check.
Health Canada says losing baby teeth too early is not normal, so ask a dentist.
Most children lose their first baby tooth around age 6 and keep losing baby teeth until about age 12, according to the Canadian Dental Association, and Health Canada's chart gives 6 to 8 years for the front teeth, though every child follows their own timeline.
If your child's teeth have started to wiggle, it helps to know what is usual and when to ask for help. Below, we cover the ages, the order and what to do about a loose tooth. Dr. Kyle Lesko welcomes families across Leduc and the greater Edmonton area, and this guide is general information, not a diagnosis.
When do kids start losing baby teeth?
Most children start losing baby teeth at around age 6. The Canadian Dental Association says the roots slowly weaken and the tooth falls out, and that children lose primary teeth until they are about 12 years old. Health Canada's chart gives 6 to 8 years for the central incisors, the front teeth.
The sources differ a little. MyHealth Alberta says children lose their 20 primary teeth between ages 6 and 11, though its own chart shows canines and second molars going until age 12. The Canadian Paediatric Society says children start to lose primary teeth at around 5 or 6 years.
What order do baby teeth fall out?
Reading Health Canada's chart by age of loss, baby teeth fall out roughly in the order they came in, by tooth type: front teeth first, then first molars and canines, and second molars among the last. The chart gives 6 to 8 years for the front teeth and 10 to 12 for the second molars.
Tooth | Usually comes in | Usually lost |
|---|---|---|
Central incisors (the front teeth) | Lower 6 to 10 months, upper 7 to 12 months | 6 to 8 years |
Lateral incisors (beside the front teeth) | Lower 7 to 16 months, upper 9 to 13 months | 7 to 8 years |
First molars | Lower 12 to 18 months, upper 13 to 19 months | 9 to 11 years |
Canines (cuspids) | Lower 16 to 23 months, upper 16 to 22 months | Lower 9 to 12 years, upper 10 to 12 years |
Second molars | Lower 20 to 31 months, upper 25 to 33 months | 10 to 12 years |
Every child is different, so read these as ranges (source: Health Canada, Oral health for children, page last modified June 11, 2026, checked October 2026).
The chart gives the upper and lower central incisors the same range, 6 to 8 years, so it does not say which pair goes first. The first molars and the canines overlap in age, so the order is not strict.
When do the permanent teeth come in, including the 6-year and 12-year molars?
Permanent teeth usually start to come in around age 6, says Health Canada. Among the first to arrive are the 6-year molars, which the Canadian Dental Association says come in at age six or seven, behind the last baby teeth, and replace none of them. The 12-year molars arrive later.
The 6-year molars
Because these molars sit behind the last baby teeth, they arrive without any baby tooth falling out first. Ages differ by source: Health Canada's chart gives 6 to 7 years, and MyHealth Alberta's molars page says between 5 and 7.
Health Canada says to talk to your oral health professional about sealants once permanent teeth begin to appear. Fluoride and sealants are a normal part of regular checkups for growing teeth at TLC, and our guide to dental sealants for kids explains more.
The 12-year molars
These are the second permanent molars. Health Canada's chart gives 12 to 13 years for the upper ones and 11 to 13 years for the lower ones, and the Canadian Dental Association's chart shows the same numbers. MyHealth Alberta calls them the 12-year molars and says they come in between ages 11 and 14.
What should you do when a tooth is loose?
Wiggling a loose baby tooth is fine; forcing one out is not. The Canadian Dental Association says it is okay for children to wiggle loose primary teeth but not okay to use force on a tooth that is not ready to come out, and that a tooth coming out at the right time has very little bleeding.
Wait, wiggle or call? Use this quick guide.
What you see | What to do | Who says so |
|---|---|---|
A baby tooth is loose | Wiggling is okay. Do not use force on a tooth that is not ready. | Canadian Dental Association |
An adult tooth comes in behind a baby tooth that is not loose | Ask a dentist. A dentist will need to remove the baby tooth. | MyHealth Alberta |
Gums that are always swollen, sore or bleeding | Take your child to the dentist. | Canadian Dental Association |
A fall leaves a tooth loose, chipped or missing | See your dentist. | Canadian Dental Association |
A baby tooth is knocked out | Do not put it back in, and see a dentist. INSPQ also says to keep the tooth and apply light pressure to the wound with a clean cloth. | HealthLink BC and INSPQ |
After a mouth injury: signs of infection (such as more pain, swelling, warmth or redness) or new or worse bleeding | Call your doctor or nurse advice line now. | MyHealth Alberta |
After a mouth injury: trouble breathing | Call 911. | MyHealth Alberta |
Sources, checked October 2026: the Canadian Dental Association's development and safety pages, MyHealth Alberta's tooth development, broken tooth and mouth injury pages, HealthLink BC and Quebec's public health institute, INSPQ.
MyHealth Alberta's page on broken teeth says that if a tooth is loose, your child should take care when brushing or flossing, and should still brush at least two times a day and floss at least once a day.
We could not find a source that says how long a loose tooth takes to come out, so ask your dentist if the wait worries you.
Is it normal for baby teeth to fall out early or late?
MyHealth Alberta says the exact order and timing of tooth loss may vary, but Health Canada says it is not normal to lose baby teeth too early. It also says some children get permanent teeth earlier or later than usual and advises you to consult your oral health professional about how teeth are coming in.
Why early loss matters
Health Canada says baby teeth act as a guide: without them, the adult teeth could shift into the open space, which may lead to crowding and problems with the bite. See also our post on signs your child may need braces.
The Canadian Dental Association says that when a baby tooth is missing, the teeth on each side may move into the space and block the permanent tooth from coming in, and that a dentist may put a space maintainer on the teeth beside the gap.
When should a dentist check your child's teeth during this stage?
Plan on regular checkups. The Canadian Dental Association says that in most cases, a dental exam every six months lets your child's dentist catch small problems early. After a fall, its safety page says to see your dentist if a tooth is loose, chipped or missing.
Health Canada says to take your child to an oral health professional by age 1, or within 6 months of the first tooth coming in. Dr. Lesko recommends a first visit around your child's first birthday, or within six months of the first tooth coming through. Read more about children's dentistry in Leduc and your child's first dental visit.
If your child still sucks a thumb or uses a pacifier, our post on thumb sucking and pacifiers looks at what the sources say about children's teeth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I pull my child's loose tooth?
No. The Canadian Dental Association says it is okay for children to wiggle a loose baby tooth, but not okay to use force on a tooth that is not ready to come out. If you are unsure whether it is ready, ask your dentist.
What if an adult tooth comes in behind a baby tooth?
MyHealth Alberta says a permanent tooth can begin to come in before the child loses the baby tooth. This usually is not a problem unless the baby tooth is not loose, and in that case a dentist will need to remove it. If you see this, ask your dentist.
What if my child has not lost a baby tooth yet?
Health Canada says some children get permanent teeth earlier or later than usual, and it advises you to consult your oral health professional about how primary and adult teeth are coming in. We could not find a source that says when a lost tooth counts as late, so ask your dentist.
Do you put a knocked-out baby tooth back in?
No. HealthLink BC says a baby tooth is not put back in after it is knocked out, because that may cause problems for the permanent tooth. Your child still needs a dentist check. See our post on what to do for a knocked-out tooth.
Talk it through with Dr. Kyle Lesko in Leduc
If you have questions about your child's loose or missing teeth, book online or call 780.980.5115. Dr. Kyle Lesko and the team at TLC Family Dental Centre welcome patients from Leduc and the greater Edmonton area, and you will find us at 5209 Discovery Way #4 in Leduc. Most children do well with a checkup and cleaning about every six months, and Dr. Lesko recommends what suits each child after the exam.
Sources
Checked in October 2026. Coverage rules and recommendations change, so confirm current details with the organisations below.
Oral health for children, Health Canada
Children's Dental Development, Canadian Dental Association
Dental Safety, Canadian Dental Association
Your Child's First Visit, Canadian Dental Association
Healthy teeth for children, Canadian Paediatric Society
Tooth Development in Children, MyHealth Alberta
Ages when baby teeth come in and fall out, MyHealth Alberta
Molars, MyHealth Alberta
Broken Tooth in Children: Care Instructions, MyHealth Alberta
Mouth Injury in Children: Care Instructions, MyHealth Alberta
Knocked-Out Tooth: First Aid, HealthLink BC
Oral and dental injuries: what to do, Institut national de santé publique du Québec
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