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When do baby teeth erupt?
Both baby teeth (deciduous or milk teeth)
and permanent teeth have fairly well-defined times of eruption. The
ages listed are the normal ages that a baby tooth emerges. UPPER
ERUPTS BY LOWER ERUPTS BY Central incisor 8-10 Mo Central incisor 6-9
Mo Lateral incisor 8-10 Mo Lateral incisor 15-21 Mo Canine (Cuspid)
16-20 Mo Canine (Cuspid) 15-21 Mo First molar 15-21 Mo First molar
15-21 Mo Second molar 20-24 Mo Second molar 20-24 Mo
The oral health of children has improved
significantly over the past few decades.
Today most American children enjoy excellent oral health, but a
significant subset suffers a high level of oral disease. The most
advanced disease is found primarily among children living in poverty,
some racial/ethnic minority populations, disabled children, and
children with HIV infection.
We know enough about health promotion and disease prevention measures
to improve the oral health and well-being of all children.
Tooth decay remains one of the most common diseases of childhood – 5
times as common as asthma and 7 times as common as hay fever.
More than half of children aged 5-9 have had at least one cavity or
filling; 78 percent of 17-year-olds have experienced tooth decay.
By age 17, more than 7 percent of children have lost at least one
permanent tooth to decay.
Each year, 8,000 babies are born with cleft lip and/or cleft palate,
making these among the most common birth defects. Cleft lip and cleft
palate interfere with normal appearance, eating, and speech.
Injuries to children, intentional and non-intentional, often involve
trauma to the head, neck, and mouth. The leading causes of oral and
head injuries are sports, violence, falls, and motor vehicle crashes.
Tobacco-related oral lesions are common in teenagers who use spit
(smokeless) tobacco. The lesions occur in 35 percent of snuff users
and 20 percent of chewing tobacco users.
One in four American children are born into poverty (annual income of
$17,000 or less for a family of four). Children and adolescents living
in poverty suffer twice as much tooth decay as their more affluent
peers, and their disease is more likely to go untreated.
Children from families without medical insurance are 2.5 times less
likely than insured children to receive dental care. Children from
families without dental insurance are 3 times more likely than insured
children to have unmet dental needs.
For every child without medical insurance, there are 2.6 who lack
dental insurance.
Fewer than one in five Medicaid-covered children had a preventive
dental visit during a recent year-long study.
The daily reality for children with untreated oral disease is often
persistent pain, inability to eat comfortably or chew well,
embarrassment at discolored and damaged teeth, and distraction from
play and learning.
More than 51 million school hours are lost each year because of
dental-related illness.
What Can Parents and Caregivers Do?
Pregnant women should get prenatal care and eat a healthy diet that
includes folic acid to prevent neural tube defects and possibly cleft
lip/palate. During pregnancy avoid tobacco and alcohol, and check with
a doctor before taking any medications.
Put only water in your baby’s bottle at bedtime or naptime. Milk,
formula, juices, and other drinks contain sugar. Prolonged exposure to
sugary drinks while baby sleeps – when saliva flow is reduced –
increases the risk of tooth decay.
Take your child for an oral health assessment between ages 1-2, and
every six months thereafter.
Protect your child’s teeth with fluoride. Use a fluoridated
toothpaste, putting only a pea-sized amount on your child’s
toothbrush. If your drinking water is not fluoridated, talk to a
dentist or physician about the best way to protect your child’s teeth.
Encourage your children to eat regular nutritious meals and to avoid
frequent between-meal snacking.
Talk to your child’s dentist about dental sealants, which protect
teeth from decay.
Make sure your child wears a helmet when bicycling and uses protective
headgear and mouth guards in other sports activities.
For more information, contact:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Division of Oral Health, MS F-10
4770 Buford Highway, NE
Atlanta, GA 30341
1-888-CDC-2306
http://www.cdc.gov
National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research
National Institutes of Health
Building 45, Room 4AS-19
45 Center Drive MSC 6400
Bethesda, MD 20892-6400
http://www.nidcr.nih.gov
If you have questions or comments, e-mail:
ccdinfo@cdc.gov
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