The time inevitably comes when your child’s tooth starts to wiggle!
However, before you tie one end of a string to the tooth and the other to a door handle, you should read this article.
Why do kid’s teeth start to follow out? When is a loose tooth worth a trip to the dentist? And should you actually pull your child’s tooth?
If you’ve been wondering the answers to these questions, then read on!
Why Our Teeth Fall Out
As we grow up, we begin to lose our baby teeth.
Baby teeth are also known as our primary or deciduous teeth.
The reason these teeth start to fall out is to make room for our permanent, or “adult teeth” that are coming in! They actually grow and push out the baby teeth.
When it comes to our baby teeth falling out, they usually fall out in the same order that our baby teeth came in. The front two teeth usually are the first to arrive when we are babies and the first to come out as well.
Our baby teeth typically start falling out around age 6!
When Should You Go To a Dentist For a Loose Tooth
Since baby teeth are not permanent, a lot of parents give up the battle over having their kids brush their teeth.
They do this thinking that the damaged teeth will just fall out and they will be able to start fresh when their kid’s adult teeth grow in.
However, this is a huge mistake! Not taking care of a kid’s baby teeth can cause long-term damage.
Here are some of the ways this might impact their dental health:
- Kids who do not brush their teeth enough can develop plaque, which can lead to cavities. Although they might lose the baby tooth with a cavity, it still needs to get taken care of right away. Cavities can lead to increased pain and discomfort for the child.
- Kids that don’t brush their teeth enough might also start to develop unwanted bacteria in the body. This can lead to inflammation, throughout the child’s body.
- If a child persists in not brushing, this can lead to issues such as periodontal disease.
But when it comes to your child’s loose tooth, when do you need to go to the dentist?
One reason you may need to book an appointment is if your child hasn’t lost any teeth by the age of 8. You will need to consult with your dentist about the best plan of action moving forward for this.
Another reason you may need to go to the dentist is if your child’s adult teeth start growing in before they have lost their primary teeth.
The last reason you may want to go to the dentist is if your child’s tooth is actually knocked loose by accident. It may seem like no big deal, but it could cause permanent damage to the adult tooth growing in.
Should You Pull Your Child’s Loose Tooth Out?
Now for the final question, should you pull your child’s loose tooth out?
The answer— it depends.
Here is when you should avoid pulling out your child’s tooth:
- If the child’s tooth is only slightly loose. If you pull it out at this point it could cause damage to the adult tooth. It can be tempting to speed along the process, but avoid this temptation the best you can!
- Your child is in pain every time the tooth wiggles. If this is the case, you should consult a dentist prior to pulling on the tooth in any way.
When it comes to your child’s teeth falling out, they should allow the tooth to loosen naturally. It is safe to slightly wiggle the tooth back and forth, but encourage your child not to pull on it in any way.
The process of losing a tooth should be relatively pain-free. If the tooth is able to fall out naturally over time, there is a significant decrease in potential damage done to the adult tooth.
It will also be much less likely for there to be a lot of blood or any risk of infection.
Since your child will lose all of their teeth eventually, it’s important to set the precedent on the first tooth they lose to be extremely gentle and patient when wiggling their teeth.
This will help protect all of their new teeth coming in for a beautiful smile!
Keeping Your Children’s Teeth Healthy:
When it comes to your child’s dental hygiene, practicing good habits is extremely important!
Here are a few benefits of caring for your child’s dental hygiene early on:
- They will establish great dental hygiene habits that will carry them through adulthood. This could greatly increase their quality of life as they age!
- It keeps any discomfort to a minimum while they are young. Treating cavities isn’t fun for your child. The best way to avoid this is by practicing good dental hygiene every day.
- It will save you money! It only takes 5 minutes to have your children brush their teeth daily. Depending on your dental insurance, this can save you money throughout your child’s life.
Here are a few recommendations for keeping your children’s pearly whites nice and healthy:
- Start brushing your child’s teeth as soon as they come in. Does your toddler only have one or two teeth? (First of all, how cute!) This is when you can start brushing your child’s teeth!
- Don’t use too much toothpaste. Young children have the tendency to swallow their toothpaste, so ensuring that they only have a pea-sized amount on their brush will help them avoid any stomach issues that may arise from ingesting toothpaste.
- Floss, floss, floss! Try to make flossing a habit in your household. It helps prevent plaque build-up and gum disease.
- Use child-friendly toothpaste for the best results.
Your Child’s First Loose Tooth
Now you know everything you need to know about handling your child’s first loose tooth.
Be gentle and patient with the tooth, and be sure to consult a dentist if anything goes awry! Help your child establish great dental hygiene habits from a young age so that their smile is able to shine bright as they grow up.
If you ever have any questions, feel free to contact us here at Dentistry for Children.
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