milk teeth falling out

[dinny]

is it hereditary when it happens?

I'm not sure, dinny, but I remember our dentist telling us that it's generally happening earlier and earlier these days.

He had some fascinating explanation - which I've totally forgotten!

I don't know but I know a 7 year old who lost his 2 front teeth nearly a year ago and the second set haven't come through yet!

would be really interested in finding out - some of dd's friends started when they were just five, some even four!

she's six in a fortnight and gets annoyed she doesn't have a wobble even!

All the milk teeth fall out eventually, tis the natural process.

mmm, I realise that, Sandcastles, just wondered what kind of triggers it

There are twin boys in dd's year at school. One of them started losing his milk teeth two and a half years ago when he was four and a half, the other hasn't had so much as a wobble yet.

Not sure how the hereditary theory would explain that one!

Isn't it something to o with the bigger teeth being 'ready' to push through and the size of the mouth being 'ready' to fit them in? I heard that it was herreditary and depends on the size of the mouth and jaw, but I could have dreamt that!

Well what happens is as the adult teeth push up to erupt, they push against the roots of the milk teeth, causing the roots [of the milkf teeh] to resorbe. As the roots resorbe, there is nothing left to hold the teeth in the gums, so they fall out.

Hence all you should be able to see is the crown of the tooth [the part that is normally above the gum] and nothing else.

But it still can take time for the adult teeth to appear, tho.

The first adult teeth usually come through at 6, so she is more or less on target!

It can be a bit hereditary I'm told. I think the adult teeth only start to move & displace the milk ones when the jaw gets big enough. Dd(12) still has most of her milk teeth, but ds was average age to lose his (between 6 & 10 I think).

i had a milk tooth taken out in november, age 31, so they do not always fall out, intersting fact

MrsDougRoss, tis true. If there is no adult tooth to push up against it, or that tooth comes out in the wrong place then yes, a milk tooth can be retained for some time.

So what happens when the deciduous teeth fall out and the adult teeth don't come through....for 12 months

How old is the child? Adult teeth can be delayed sometimes of they can't fiind the room to push thru.

I would be inclined to visit the dentist to make sure the adult teeth are present at this stage!

7 now. I beleive they are there, they just haven't pushed out yet

dd2 lost her first tooth at 4.

jenn, as long as they are they are there, then they will be thru, eventually!

Misdee, that was early! Any reason?

I didn't lose my milk teeth til I was 9??! I still had 2 milk teeth (the pre molars behind the top canines) when i was 16. Perhaps I wam a late developer! My brother was the same though so I'm sure it is hereditary in some way but then I guess a lot of things are!

she cut her first tooth at 3months if that bears any revelelnce.

she recently saw a dentist who was very surpirsed she was cutting her back molars alreadt at age 5, as she said they dont usually cut this early.

but dd2 is very tall for her age and done everything early.

yes, Misdee, wondered if there was a link with height etc as all theones in class who have done it early are all tall for their age, etc, I think