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My Child’s Tooth is Loose! Our Concord Children’s Dentist Answers Some FAQs

Losing a baby tooth is one of the most exciting rites of passage of childhood. It’s one of the first little signs that your child is graduating babyhood and entering a new, more independent stage of life. If your child’s baby tooth is starting to wiggle, here are some things to keep in mind.

Don’t Pull the Tooth Out

TV shows are rife with funny scenes of parents attaching baby teeth to strings and doorknobs, but in reality, it’s better to leave a loose tooth alone. A tooth that is pulled before it’s ready can lead to an infection. Although there’s no harm in a little wiggling, it’s best to leave the pliers in the drawer.

How Much Will Losing the Tooth Hurt?

It’s been so long since you’ve lost your own baby teeth, you may not remember whether or not there is any pain involved. While this varies from child to child and tooth to tooth, generally, losing a tooth is not painful, usually just a light tingling. Sometimes, there is pain, but it is very mild. Let your child know that there will probably be a tiny bit of blood when the tooth comes out, but that everything will be o.k. and that it is a natural, normal part of growing up.

What Do I Do Once the Tooth is Lost?

If the tooth falls out at home, have the child rinse his or her mouth out with room temperature water, and hold a damp towel in the area until the bleeding stops. If the child is experiencing pain, you can use an over-the-counter anesthetic, called an oral analgesic, available at most drugstores. If the pain and bleeding don’t stop after about an hour, call your pediatric dentist to make sure there is no underlying damage.

My Child Swallowed a Loose Tooth. Will That Make Them Sick?

Nope. While swallowing a tooth is not ideal due to the choking hazard involved, if it happens, it will pass through the body like everything else.

When Will My Child’s Permanent Teeth Come In?

The permanent teeth should start showing within a few weeks, but they won’t fully grow in for a few more months. If you see that a new tooth is growing in discolored or crooked, talk to your child’s dentist.

When Will My Child Start to Lose His Baby Teeth?

Most children usually begin to start losing their first set of teeth around age 6 or 7, but since all kids are different, your child may be younger or older when it first happens. Typically, the first teeth to fall out are the ones that came in first (i.e. the front teeth).

How Do Baby Teeth Become Loose?

A baby tooth starts to loosen when the permanent tooth underneath it starts to grow, pushing the baby tooth out of the socket. This article shows a very interesting cross-section of a child’s skull before the adult teeth have emerged. When the baby tooth separates from the gum and roots, it’s sometimes possible to hear a “pop” sound.

When Should I See a Pediatric Dentist?

Make sure your child continues to see his or her dentist once every six months (or more) to avoid missing signs of infection or other issues that could delay baby teeth coming loose.

If your child has a loose tooth, there is no need to bring him or her in for an emergency dentist appointment, unless you see any redness or swelling around the gums, which could indicate infection.

If your child has a loose tooth that is “out of order” (like a back tooth that has emerged before the front teeth have), or if it just seems too early for your child to be losing a tooth, it’s always best to play it safe. A quick dental exam can determine if there’s any reason to worry.

What If My Child’s Tooth is Loose from an Injury, Like Falling?

If this happens, take your child to the dentist as soon as possible to check the stability of the baby tooth, and to ensure that there’s no infection or damage to the permanent tooth underneath.

Looking for a Pediatric Dentist in Concord NC?

We hope that this article helped relieve any concerns you may have. If you would like to make an appointment with a Concord children’s dentist, please stop by Afton Pediatric Dentistry today! We can’t wait to help your kids achieve a healthy, beautiful smile for life. To schedule an appointment with our office, click here.

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