If your little one is like most kids, they can’t wait to reach that next big milestone. They want to grow up and feel like a big kid as soon as possible. So it’s no surprise when your child wants to start losing teeth like their classmates. But does that mean you should pull their tooth right when it becomes loose? How long should you wait? Is there a safe way to remove a baby tooth? Read on to find out!
Why You Shouldn’t Pull Primary Teeth Early
Does it really matter when your little one loses their baby teeth? Although their permanent ones will eventually grow in, the first round of teeth serve an important role. Their teeth allow your child to bite and chew food, obviously, but they also maintain space so that the permanent teeth can erupt properly. When baby teeth are lost prematurely due to decay or trauma, it can lead to alignment problems and alter how their jaw develops. Your child may be eager to lose them, but it’s best to wait until the teeth are naturally ready to be wiggled out by your child.
Take a “Hands Off” Approach
If your child is complaining about a primary tooth, and it is already pretty loose, you can certainly try to remove it. However, you need to do it carefully so that you don’t damage the permanent tooth underneath, cause excessive bleeding, or hurt your child.
It may be tempting to simply take the loose tooth with your fingers and pull it out yourself. However, your hand or your child’s hand is covered in bacteria that could only introduce potential problems. Although stopping your child from putting their hands into their mouth seems impossible, encourage them to wiggle their loose tooth using their tongue instead their fingers to reduce their smile’s exposure to germs. Immediately after the tooth comes out, the gum tissue is vulnerable, and harmful bacteria from hands could cause an infection. If your child experiences bleeding, which should be minor, have them bite down on clean gauze.
When to Seek Help
Regardless of the method you use to remove the tooth, it should come out fairly easily. If the tooth resists or the pulling action causes discomfort, it may not be ready yet. During your child’s regular dental checkup, you can talk to your pediatric dentist about any teeth that seem to be bothering them. The dentist can examine the tooth, make sure it isn’t decayed or causing an infection, and perhaps even remove the tooth.
Ultimately, their baby teeth will come out when the time is right. There’s no need to rush through this stage, but if you want to remove their loose baby teeth, make sure you do it the right, gentle way.
About the Practice
Brush Pediatric Dentistry is proud to have four board-certified pediatric dentists on staff. Although each comes from a unique background and education, they share a passion for helping young patients at various ages and stages of life learn healthy dental habits. If you have questions about handling losing baby teeth, you can contact Brush Pediatric Dentistry and schedule an appointment either through our website or by calling 630-504-2223.