Should you pull a child’s loose tooth?

Losing baby teeth is a natural and inevitable part of growing up. Although wiggly teeth can cause some discomfort, parents should be cautious about pulling them out. While nearly everyone has heard tales of tying teeth to doorknobs or more modern devices like RC cars or drones, many adults have actually lived through stories like these. Unfortunately, there are numerous things that can go wrong if a loose tooth isn’t ready. We’ll get into everything you need to know about loose baby teeth, along with strategies for alleviating pain, and tips for keeping your child’s mouth healthy.

Why baby teeth wiggle

Most children will begin to lose their baby teeth at about the age of six or seven. Teeth are typically lost in the order in which they’ve erupted. For many kids, this means that the first teeth to loosen will be the two front teeth at the bottom of the mouth. Teeth start to loosen when there are larger, adult teeth right behind them. Loosening, tenderness, and even light bleeding can be persistent frustrations for days or even weeks. During this time, however, the nerves and other internal contents of baby teeth are being gradually dissolved. This natural breakdown makes the actual loss much easier by limiting trauma and pain. More often than not, when a tooth is allowed to loosen and its internal contents have fully dissolved, post-loss bleeding is minor, and children are generally relieved and happy about the entire experience.

Wiggling teeth and facial trauma

Age and the arrival of adult teeth certainly aren’t the only reasons why a baby tooth might start to wiggle. If your child has a loose tooth after sustaining a heavy blow or taking a hard fall, it is important to visit the dentist right away. Facial trauma that affects the teeth can leave a tooth feeling wiggly and sore for weeks. When damage is extreme, an injured tooth may eventually fall out. However, if the trauma isn’t too severe, time will allow the injury to resolve on its own.

Setting the stage for comfortable oral care

Early events involving the teeth can have a very long-term impact on how people care for their mouths as they grow older. This is one of the top reasons why parents are advised against forcibly removing loose teeth that may not be ready. Should any removal experiment go poorly, kids can have lasting anxiety and fear of many important aspects of general oral health care. Doing everything that you can to ensure that your youngster feels comfortable about sitting in the dentist’s chair will help ensure that your child remains diligent in oral care and preventative maintenance all throughout life.

The adult teeth are guided into place by the baby teeth

Baby teeth, also known as primary teeth, act as the guides for adult teeth. When these structures are removed before their time, this can impact how the adult teeth come in. In turn, early removal can affect the alignment of the smile, and ultimately the balance of natural bite forces. Although tying a string to your child’s loose tooth and pulling it out might seem like a small thing, the consequences of improper and early removal may be long-lasting.

How to pull a tooth correctly

If your child’s tooth has been loose for quite some time and if he or she is constantly complaining, you’ll want to know how to pull a tooth correctly. Use a clean piece of gauze to test the tooth. Wrap the gauze around the tooth and then, using a gentle, wiggling motion, pull the tooth slightly upwards. If there is pain when pulling, this means that the tooth still has active nerves and is not yet ready for removal. If the area bleeds excessively, this also indicates a need to wait. When primary teeth are ready for extraction, they will lift out of the gums easily, painlessly, and with very little force applied. Bleeding will be minimal, and your child will likely be delighted.

Absent of significant facial trauma or severe tooth decay, losing a baby tooth is normal. Although wiggly teeth aren’t always comfortable, with ample time these structures will be ready to simply slip right out. Natural nerve deterioration and the pressure of an emerging adult tooth help make this process much easier.

How to keep your child’s adult teeth healthy

Although a child’s primary teeth are virtually assured to fall out, these early tooth structures should always be diligently cared for. Cavities and infections that are experienced early in life can indeed have an impact on the adult teeth that have yet to emerge. Moreover, diligent oral care early-on sets the stage for diligent oral care in a person’s adult years. At every age, having healthy and attractive teeth plays a vital role in maintaining a good overall quality of life.

Although loose teeth can feel tender and sore, encourage your child to brush and rinse after every meal. Small particulates can get trapped beneath a loose tooth to cause mouth odors, infection, and cavities. Throughout all their childhood years, kids should be instructed to brush and floss at least twice a day. Proper brushing and flossing techniques should also be reviewed as part of twice-yearly dental check-ups.