Around five or six years of age, children begin losing their baby teeth. A big deal for the child, some youngsters are so excited at the idea of losing their baby teeth that they can’t stop wiggling the loose tooth. Others are more fearful and cautious and may be scared of pain and bleeding when they lose their tooth.
So parents concerned about too much interest or too much timidity may wonder, “Should I just go ahead and pull the tooth?”
The Best Way To Deal With a Loose Tooth
It’s not necessary to tie strings to doorknobs or to try other such urban legends of tooth pulling. For most cases, the best thing to do is to wait and let the loose tooth fall out on it’s own. It’s fine to allow your child to wiggle their tooth as much as they want. Often, a child plays with the tooth so much that they end up pulling it out themselves. If you are still worried, contact our Yuba City family dentists, since we are happy to help answer any questions you have.
After the Tooth Comes Out
After the tooth comes out, there may or may not be a small amount of bleeding. This is normal. Help the child swish their mouth with warm salt water. If bleeding continues, have your child bite down on clean gauze for a few minutes. The take a picture and tell them how awesome it is that they lost their first tooth! it’s also a good time to discuss how important it is to take care of the new teeth that replace “baby” ones. These ones are for keeps, so remind them of the following:
- Brush twice a day for two minutes each time with a fluoride toothpaste (2×2).
- Floss every day.
- Visit the dentist twice a year.
- Eat healthy food, avoid soda and drink ordinary tap water for strong teeth.
When good oral hygiene habits start early in life, this keeps all teeth healthy and strong! The Yuba City Dentistry Group is always available to answer questions. Call or contact us today to schedule an appointment for your child’s jump start on good oral health.
0 Comments