Teeth, how many do kids have?
We undergo a huge number of changes in our dental life as children. From 6 months to 14 years old we grow teeth, lose teeth, and then grow replacements. However, the number of teeth that we have depends on what age we are and how far along we are in our dental journey. There are four types of teeth; incisors which are the front four teeth on the top and bottom of your jaw. Canine teeth are the sharpest and pointiest teeth in your mouth, which are on each side of your incisors. There are 8 premolars and 12 molars which sit further back on your gums and are ideal for chewing and grinding.
The first teeth that we develop are known as baby teeth or milk teeth and these appear when we are about 6 months old (although they can appear slightly earlier). By the time children reach 3 years old, they will have a full set of 20 milk teeth. Yet, when they reach 5 or 6, they begin to lose these teeth so that their permanent adult teeth can replace them.
By the ages of 12 to 14 years old, children should have lost all their baby teeth and have at least 28 of the 32 adult teeth. Wisdom teeth appear between the ages of 17 and 21, taking then the total number of adult teeth to 32.
Please contact your dentist if you have any questions about teething or your child’s teeth, and make sure to book regular appointments.
Please note that this article is for patient information purposes only. The information provided is based on guidance available at the time of writing, which may subsequently change. Please consult your own dentist with any individual queries.
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