Can I Pull My Child’s Loose Tooth?

Children start losing their baby teeth around the age of six or seven. Although temporary, baby teeth play a vital role in enabling proper speech skills and chewing habits and set the stage for adult teeth to come in. Therefore, a parent should never try to pull out their child’s loose tooth. Instead, read this blog before you tie one end of a piece of string to the loose tooth and the other to a door handle.

Can I Pull My Child’s Loose Tooth Out?

The answer is that it depends on your child’s condition. According to a pediatric dentist in Columbus, Ohio, you should never pull your child’s loose tooth in the following cases:

• Your kid suffers excruciating pain every time the loose tooth wiggles. In this case, you should consult a dentist first thing.
• Your kid’s tooth is only slightly loose. There is a reason that the loose tooth is still attached to the gums. So, if you try to forcefully pull out the loose tooth while most of its roots are intact, there’s a high possibility that you might damage your child’s gums. Therefore, no matter how tempting and easy it might seem, pulling out a loose tooth is never wise.

When it comes to dealing with a loose tooth, you should teach your child to be patient and let it fall out naturally. However, if they want to touch the loose tooth, your child is allowed to move it back and forth while applying minimum force. The process of a tooth falling out naturally is pain-free. This means that by trying to pull it out, you will be doing more damage to the child’s gums and the permanent tooth than you might intend. Since your kid will ultimately lose all of their baby teeth, it’s essential to set a precedent on the first tooth they lose so that they know they have to be extremely gentle when wiggling a loose tooth.

Looking for a Pediatric Dentist in Columbus, Ohio?

At Little Smiles of Delaware, we have the best kids' dentist in Columbus, Ohio. Our skilled pediatric dentist believes that all kids are equal and should be provided with high-quality dental care in a friendly environment.

Have more questions about your child’s loose tooth? Call us right away!