What are primary teeth?
Primary teeth are the first teeth, which sit in the jaw from before birth and come through the gums in infancy. The 20 include eight incisors at the front, four canines and eight molars. There are no premolars or wisdom teeth in the milk set.
They are smaller and whiter than permanent teeth, with thinner enamel. They are replaced from about six years, a process covered in our guide on the milk teeth falling age.
What primary teeth do
They let a child chew solid food and get proper nutrition. They help with clear speech, since the tongue and lips use the teeth to form sounds. They also support the shape of the face as the jaws grow.
Most importantly, each one holds a place in the jaw for the permanent tooth under it. If a milk tooth is lost very early because of decay, nearby teeth can drift into the gap and the adult tooth may come in crooked or without room. A decayed tooth can also become infected and harm the one below. That is why milk teeth need care even though they are temporary, as discussed in cavities in milk teeth.
When they come in and fall out
The first tooth usually appears at around six months, often a lower front tooth, though some babies cut their first at a year or later. The set is usually complete by about two and a half to three years. The full chart is in our guide to the milk teeth schedule, and the signs of teething are in teething symptoms.
Looking after them starts with the first tooth: gentle cleaning twice a day, limited sugar, and a first dental visit around the first birthday. The kids dentistry page explains what children's dental care covers.
Common questions
How many primary teeth do children have?
Twenty in a complete set: ten upper and ten lower. Each half of each jaw has two incisors, one canine and two molars.
Are primary teeth the same as baby teeth and milk teeth?
Yes. Primary teeth, baby teeth, milk teeth and deciduous teeth all mean the first set of teeth.
Do primary teeth have nerves and roots?
Yes. They have roots and a nerve inside, like permanent teeth. A deep cavity can reach the nerve and cause pain or infection, so decayed milk teeth should be seen to.
Why are my child's teeth yellower than mine, or whiter?
Milk teeth are usually whiter because the enamel is thinner and less translucent. Permanent teeth look slightly darker as the dentine shows through, so a difference between old and new teeth is normal.
About this page
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