First teeth
Babies start to develop their teeth when they are growing in the
womb. These first teeth (also known as milk teeth or deciduous
teeth) start to emerge through the gums at around six months. This
process is known as teething.
Most children will have their full set of first teeth by the
time they are two-and-a-half to three years of age. A full set of
first teeth contains 20 teeth in total.
Adult teeth
As your child gets older, their permanent adult teeth will start
to appear. Adults can have up to 32 permanent teeth.
Permanent teeth develop in the jaw. They press on the roots of
the first teeth and dissolve them so that the first tooth falls out
and the adult tooth can come through. This process is called
exfoliation, and it normally begins at around 6-7 years of age.
Most children will have the majority of their permanent teeth by
the time they are 13 years old. However, after this time, some
people find that their wisdom teeth emerge in the back of their
mouth. This usually happens between 18-25 years of age.
If a permanent tooth is damaged or has to be removed, it will
never grow back. This is why it is very important that your child
is taught how to take care of their teeth.
Dental development
It is important to be aware that all children develop at
different rates. Therefore, don't worry if your child doesn't
develop adult teeth at the age you expect them to.
However, see your dentist if you are concerned in any way about
the development or your child's teeth or about their general oral
health.
Dentists
We have 60 dental practices in Hackney and 35 are accepting and
treating new NHS patients. If you register with a dentist you will
be invited for regular checkups, which will help you keep your
mouth healthy and avoid treatments. If you need to see a dentist
and don 't know where to go please ring 020 7683 4610 for advice.
The full list of all
local Dentists
Additional information can be found on the
NHS UK website