Book 1, Question 8
Why Do We Have Baby Teeth? A Starter Set for Your Smile!
Why do we get teeth we are going to lose? Baby teeth usually start to appear around 6 months old, and most kids end up with about 20 of them. They help you chew, speak clearly and grow your jaw, and they save space for the adult teeth waiting underneath. Around age 6 or 7, adult teeth push up and the roots of the baby teeth dissolve, so the baby tooth gets wobbly and falls out. Most adults have about 32 permanent teeth.
From the book
Page from A Million Whys Book 1
More fun facts
- Babies already have the beginnings of their first teeth before they are even born. The teeth just stay hidden under the gums for a while.
- Baby teeth have other names too. People call them primary teeth or milk teeth.
- Most kids have their whole set of baby teeth by about age 3.
- A baby tooth falls out because the permanent tooth behind it pushes it out of the way.
- By about age 12 or 13, most kids have lost all their baby teeth.
- Grown-ups end up with 32 permanent teeth. That is 12 more than the baby set. The last four, called wisdom teeth, often grow in between ages 17 and 25.
- Tooth enamel, the shiny outer layer, is the hardest substance in the human body.
- People are not the only ones with two sets of teeth. Most mammals get two sets in their lifetime.
Sources: KidsHealth (Nemours), Cleveland Clinic, Smithsonian Magazine
Questions kids ask
Why do baby teeth fall out?
The permanent tooth growing behind each baby tooth pushes it out of the way.
How many teeth will I have as a grown-up?
Most grown-ups have 32 permanent teeth, counting the four wisdom teeth at the back.