Childhood Milestone Photography: Missing Teeth | Olympia Family Photographer

The loss of baby teeth and the oncoming of adult teeth is an exciting milestone for kids (and for us parents too)! Their crooked little smiles are goofy and adorable, and it’s just as important to document as any other marker of childhood.

Before my oldest son lost his first tooth, I felt uncomfortable getting close-ups of kids’ missing teeth, opting to focus on their eyes instead. I didn’t know what to make of the puffy gums and the tiny white bumps of the adult teeth creeping in. Sure, little kids missing front teeth were always cute to me, but I didn’t quite remember that this experience was a major life event to a six year old. I didn’t come in close with my camera to focus on the gaps in their teeth because I had forgotten how big of a deal it had been in my own childhood.

Then my son lost his first tooth and BAM! I remembered. Of course! This is a HUGE moment for a kid. My own memories came flooding back to me as I saw his face light up in pure joy as he held the tiny tooth in his hand.

So now, when I photograph six, seven, and eight year olds, I love to ask them about their missing teeth and to get right up close to capture their stories. I love to document their proud, toothless smiles as they eagerly tell me the order in which each tooth started wiggling, which came out first, who was there when it happened, how they felt, and most importantly, what the tooth fairy brought them!