Who doesn’t love the tooth fairy? A fun milestone for all kids is when they start to lose their baby teeth. The common question for parents is… do I pull the loose tooth or not? There are two answers to this question:
- Dentists recommend letting children wiggle on loose teeth with their tongue and fingers until the roots have dissolved. When this happens, the tooth will pop right out!
- If your child is eager for their loose tooth to come out, go for it! Encouraging proper oral care practices from a young age will reinforce proper techniques in the future! Despite what movies and television portray, we do not recommend involving the use of a string and doorknob! With the use of tissue or gauze, gently twist the tooth until it detaches from the gumline.
When do kids start losing their baby teeth?
- Baby teeth start to become loose around the ages of 6-7 years old.
- Baby teeth usually follow the first -to-come first-to-go pattern, so children often lose their teeth in the same order they first got them.
- Children start to lose their molars around 10-12 years old. Permanent molars surface around the age of 13.
How do I know if a tooth is ready to come out?
- The roots of baby teeth will start to dissolve upon the arrival of permanent teeth. This will make the tooth loose and painless to pull! If the child experiences any pain while pulling the baby tooth, the tooth should not be pulled.
- Since the roots of baby teeth dissolve, there should be very little to no blood while wiggling and pulling the tooth.
- Oftentimes, children bump their teeth and they become loose. If you think a tooth is prematurely loose, schedule an appointment with us!
Losing baby teeth in a healthy way is very important. Pulling baby teeth prematurely can cause infections and/or damage to the permanent teeth. If a tooth is not coming out easily on its own, give us a call! At Spring Dental, we want the best for our patients, starting with baby teeth! If your child is ready for the tooth fairy, come visit us!
