Teeth are not quite as unique as snowflakes, however, they do vary in size, shape and location in the jaw. These differences in the teeth are what give our face shape and form and how we chew, speak or smile. Did you know that we are born with 20 baby teeth (a/k/a “primary teeth”) that will begin to “erupt” or break through at about 6 months, and, by age 12, all 32 of our permanent teeth have usually erupted?
A Child’s Smile
There are many gap-toothed photos of you in your parents’ family albums. Face it, all of a sudden your “cuteness quotient” goes down substantially when you begin losing those baby teeth. The first teeth to go are the lower center teeth (a/k/a the lower center incisors) at approximately 6 to 7 years old. Next are the top center pair. It’s scary looking when you resemble a Halloween pumpkin, but, at least the Tooth Fairy helps make this time bearable. Happily, a baby tooth typically doesn’t loosen until the permanent tooth below pushes it up to take its place.