The First Milk Tooth Starts to Wobble

By the BananaBook team

In short: the first milk tooth usually falls out around ages 5 to 6, often starting with the bottom front teeth. Many families turn it into the ritual of the Tooth Fairy — a tooth tucked under the pillow, a small coin or a note by morning. What matters isn't the exact tradition, but making it a milestone the child owns, rather than a medical fact.

Half excitement, half worry.

The first milk tooth to wobble usually arrives around five or six, and rarely the way parents picture it.

Some children are delighted: they wiggle it at the table, announce it to strangers, count the days. Others are quietly horrified — a part of their body is coming loose, and no one asked for their opinion. Both reactions are normal, and the second is often lived in silence.

What you notice is that the tooth always comes out on its own in the end, usually while eating something perfectly ordinary. The urge to help is strong, and rarely welcome — it's their tooth, after all.

Many children also believe the gap is permanent. Knowing that another tooth is already waiting, just underneath, is sometimes enough to settle a whole worry.

And then there's the small grief you don't always expect: losing a tooth is, for many, the first time you lose a piece of yourself while being invited to celebrate it. Some want to keep it in a box. That's a lovely idea.

What turns it into a milestone is often the ritual — the Tooth Fairy, a note, a coin, a jar on the shelf. The exact tradition matters less than having one, and it coming back the same. A milestone a child owns the story of is kept fondly, rather than as an ordeal — which is the whole spirit of [That's My Tooth!](→ book link), where this big day becomes a tale of their own.

Frequently asked questions

At what age does the first milk tooth fall out?
Most often between ages 5 and 7, usually starting with the two bottom front teeth.

What is the Tooth Fairy tradition?
The child tucks the tooth under the pillow (or in a little tooth box), and the Tooth Fairy comes to collect it during the night.

What does the Tooth Fairy leave?
There's no rule — every family has its own tradition. Often a small coin, sometimes a note or a little gift. It's the ritual that matters, not the value.

In what order do milk teeth fall out?
Generally in the order they came through, up to around age 11-12.