Tips for a Child’s Loose Tooth

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    Tips for a Child’s Loose Tooth

    Since February is National Children’s Oral Health Month, I thought we would focus on the kids for this blog.

    Losing baby teeth is a normal part of childhood. For kids, it’s an exciting time, especially since many parents keep the legend of the Tooth Fairy alive.

    Most children start losing their baby teeth around age six and continue to lose teeth until they’re about twelve. When a tooth is “wiggly” parents aren’t always sure whether they should try to extract it or just wait for nature to take its course. Here are some tips to follow when dealing with a loose tooth.

    Determine why it’s loose.

    In most cases, the tooth is loose because it’s making way for a new permanent tooth underneath it. However, teeth can come loose for other reasons. It’s possible a loose tooth could have come loose by an impact of some kind. This can lead to an infection, or to damage to the permanent tooth. If you suspect that your child’s tooth was knocked loose by an accident rather than loosening naturally, you should make an appointment to visit our office.

    If it’s loosened naturally, don’t try to force it.

    Sometimes a loose tooth may stick around for quite a while before it finally falls out. When it falls out naturally, there is little to no pain and little blood. Trying to rip out a loose tooth can cause unnecessary pain by tugging at the sensitive roots. If a loose tooth seems too early, just leave it alone. Children lose their teeth at different rates. Eventually, your child will be able to gently wiggle the tooth until it comes out on its own.

    A little bit of blood is normal.

    When a loose tooth falls out naturally, there may be a little bit of blood. This is normal. Your child can simply rinse his or her mouth out with clean water. Teeth that are knocked out prematurely, or that are wiggled out forcefully, may bleed a little more than teeth that fall out by themselves.

    If you’re concerned about a particular tooth, it’s a good idea to make an appointment with us at 828-631-3283 or request an appointment online.

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