Losing the first teeth is a memorable occasion for both children and their parents. It’s a right of passage, and it’s one of the first indicators that your little baby is starting to get older.
However, this can also present a little bit of a problem for parents who wonder when and how to help the tooth come out. If you’re curious, here’s some information you may find useful regarding pulling baby teeth.
Should I Pull My Child’s Tooth?
If your child has started to notice that their tooth is loose, odds are that it’s likely to fall out on its own without your help. You might encourage them to use their tongue to gently wiggle the tooth—just tell them not to use their hands, as this could potentially introduce bacteria to the mouth.
It’s also important not to accidentally pull the tooth too soon, as they’re important guides for the sprouting adult teeth. That said, if it seems ready to come out without too much force, it’s fine to help your child remove it.
Things to Avoid When Pulling Out Baby Teeth
As was mentioned, the biggest thing is to ensure that you don’t pull the tooth too early. This will cause unnecessary discomfort, and the tooth should come out on its own soon anyway. If it looks like it isn’t ready to fall out yet, don’t force it.
For that reason, you should also avoid doing anything too forceful or dramatic when removing the tooth. When it’s ready to come out you shouldn’t need to apply that much pressure.
Finally, it’s a good idea to keep some gauze on hand. While baby teeth ideally shouldn’t bleed much when removed, you should be prepared just in case.
Fun Ways to Remove Baby Teeth
With this in mind, there are some ways you can make losing baby teeth more fun for your child:
- Tie one end of a string to your child’s tooth and the other end to a doorknob. Close (but don’t slam) the door, and the tooth should pop right out.
- Tie the child’s tooth to a dog or cat’s collar, and hold a treat in front of the animal’s face. They’ll come running and bring the tooth with them.
- Tie a string to a tee ball and gently swing at it. The tooth will go flying along with the ball.
About the Author
Dr. Bryce Cushing began his career as a general practice dentist before realizing that his favorite patients to see were kids. There’s nothing he loves more than showing children that dentistry isn’t scary, so he’s thankful every day that he became a pediatric dentist. Dr. Cushing received his degree from the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry, then completed his pediatric residency at the University of Florida College of Dentistry.
If you have any questions about losing teeth, he can be reached at his website or by phone at (402) 773-7873.