Loose teeth are exciting for the child as well as for the parent or the caregiver. Losing teeth is one sign of growing up. When the permanent or the adult teeth are making their way they start resorbing the roots of the baby or the primary teeth and slowly the baby teeth start getting loose and shed. Then the adult tooth comes in place of the milk tooth. All 20 milk teeth are replaced by adult teeth approximately by the age of 11-12 years.

Remember when we were kids and had a loose tooth?
Wasn’t it fun to keep wiggling it until the tooth pulls off on its own?
It was!!

But the scenario has changed from then to now. Kids these days are more sensitive (they have been raised that way by us) and more cautious. They are a little more anxious than we were. In our routine dental practice, we come across 1-2 children every week who have a loose tooth but are unwilling to pull it on their own. Definitely, we are here to help. But this is something that can be done at home too. So, why not give it a try?

According to ADA, it is safe at a point to remove that wiggly waggly tooth at home. But do not use the door knobs to do the same.

When is it ok to pull the baby’s tooth?

You must be wondering when is it ok to pull the baby’s tooth, the answer is very simple:

1. When the tooth is so loose that it is attached to just the tissue
2. Your child is almost 6 years of age
3. When the tooth is not loose because of any dental problem or injury
4. When your child asks you to pull the baby teeth

Related: Who is a Pedodontist?

So, how do I extract the loose tooth of my child at home?

If your child’s tooth is very loose and you can see it is moving and is attached only to the tissue (the gums), and if the child is willing to get the tooth extraction by you, you can easily do it at home as advised by the dentist.

1. Take a clean cotton, gauze or a tissue
2. Hold the tooth with it
3. Just give a gentle pull and the tooth will come out

How do I deal with the pain and discomfort after the tooth extraction?

In most cases your child might have no pain and mild discomfort as the space there would be empty. There is nothing much to worry about.

• If there is a mild bleeding there is nothing to worry, you can keep a clean cotton or a gauge and ask the child to press it for a few minutes. The pressure pack will stop the bleeding.
• Ask your child not to spit for the next few hours to avoid any bleeding
• Prefer to give more of fluids and semisolids at room temperature. You can also offer ice-creams

What if my child is not willing to get the tooth extracted by me at home?

Every child is different and so is their mindset. So, it is okay if the child is not comfortable to get the tooth extraction done by you. What you need to do it:

1. Wait for the tooth to fall naturally on its own.
2. Give your child something hard to chew on like apples, carrots, radishes etc. and the tooth with the force would come out on its own. If the child is not comfortable, you can avoid it.
3. Encourage the child to keep wiggling the tooth with his or her tongue or a clean finger and eventually the tooth will fall out naturally.
4. If still the tooth does not come off naturally, you can visit your dentist for safe extraction.

Related: 10 Exciting ways to get your toddler to brush their teeth

What if my child gets an adult tooth before the milk tooth sheds?

If your child gets an adult tooth and the milk tooth is still there, nothing to worry about. You do not have to do anything immediately.

• Wait for the milk tooth to become loose and it will shed naturally
• If that does not happen you can visit your dentist and they will do the tooth extraction safely

Related: Tooth Eruption Chart Permanent Teeth

Your child might be overwhelmed by the loose tooth at first, but he or she has 20 teeth to lose. So, slowly they get into the habit of pulling out their tooth or taking your help. If still you are having trouble, you can always visit a dentist.

Disclaimer:
This blog provides general information about what to do if your child’s loose teeth won’t fall out. The opinion and content on this blog are only for conversational purposes and should not be interpreted as medical or dental advice about any particular individual. If the reader or any other person has a medical or dental concern, he or she should consult with an appropriate licensed medical or dental physician or a health care provider.