Parent’s Guide to Children’s Loose Teeth

Parent’s Guide to Children’s Loose Teeth:

So, your child has his/her first loose tooth/teeth.…this milestone may be met with eagerness as well as anxiety by your little one.  They are excited that they are growing up and getting their adult teeth and for the tooth fairy coming to visit!  However, many children often have questions regarding pain and bleeding when it comes to loosing a tooth.  Assuring your child that loosing a baby tooth is not scary and rather fun will help the process.

The typical age for permanent teeth to begin erupting is between 5 and 6 years old.   Teeth in the front tend to erupt in pairs.  It is most common for the front bottom two teeth to become loose together.

It is important to constantly “wiggle” the loose tooth to loosen up the fibers surrounding the tooth and gum area.  The root of the baby tooth has already been absorbed by the body as the permanent teeth are moving up and into position.  Not all baby teeth are as simple as wiggling them to loosen them enough to pull out/fall out on their own.  Some fibers are super strong and require a dentist for removal.

Encouraging your child to constantly wiggle their loose tooth will make pulling the baby tooth much more enjoyable.  More importantly expediting the process will help to ensure the adult teeth will erupt in proper placement.  Thoughts of the Tooth Fairy coming to visit will help encourage your little one to get that baby tooth out!  It is helpful to let your child know in advance that there will be lots of blood, like with a nosebleed.

When it comes to explaining the discomfort, that truly depends on the child.  It is best to let them know ahead of time that they will feel “tugging” if you are the one who is going to remove the tooth.  To have the least amount of discomfort, be sure that the tooth is extremely loose.  Meaning, it can wiggle front to back and side to side easily.

Lastly, it is very important to let your child know that these teeth are to last he/she a lifetime.  Teaching your child the benefits of having clean healthy teeth and gums and preventing tooth decay is one of the specialties we have at my Biological Family Dental Office.  Please speak with one of my friendly team members to schedule your child’s dental appointment (951)686-3666.