When & How to Pull a Child’s Loose Tooth

Every parent inevitably faces the daunting question about how and when to pull on a this child’s loose tooth, but Dentistry in Streetville has some advice on this topic that may surprise you.

When it comes to children and loose teeth, it’s best not jump to any conclusions. Sometimes that loose teeth will be tempting to you, as a parent, to pull out, and a wiggly tooth will be undoubtedly create inconvenience and even frustration to a youngster. Nonetheless, a bit of caution is advised.

It stands to reason that you’d want to know why a tooth is loose. Yes, it makes sense that young children lose teeth as they grow and mature, but a loose tooth doesn’t always mean a permanent tooth is trying to come through. With children being the rough-and-tumble things they are, it’s a good idea to first understand why a tooth is loose. Therefore, and in the interests of not jumping to any conclusions, it’s best to have us see your child to be sure that a loose tooth is in fact a “baby” tooth and the looseness is not due to something else, like trauma.

It helps to understand a baby’s and a child’s developing dentition. Kids tend to lose their primary teeth in order that the teeth that first appear. At about age six, a child’s teeth will begin to come loose. The front teeth are the first to go, which generally happens at about age six or seven. The problem is that if efforts are made to pull out a tooth that isn’t ready to come out, it can lead to unnecessary shifting of your child’s teeth.

If a tooth is meant to go in order to make way for a permanent tooth, the best way is to allow time and nature to solve the problem. Encourage your child to wait (this can help them to learn patience), and soon enough, when it’s time, the tooth will come out on its own. Allowing time to solve the problem also helps minimize any potential shifting. But once again, if there is any concern, make an appointment for your child to see our dental team.

For those in Mississauga and the Greater Toronto Area, Dentistry in Streetsville specializes in a broad range of dental services for every member of the family, including infants, toddlers, young children and teenagers. All procedures in general dentistry as well as specialized dentistry are available, including gentle ultrasonic cleaning, tooth whitening, cosmetic dentistry, root canal therapy, painless gum surgery and more. Also Invisalign, Dentistry Asleep and Dental Implants.

Contact us by calling 905-821-8221 or emailing reception@dentistryinstreetsville.com. Dentistry in Streetsville is located at 100 Queen Street South, Suite 101, in Mississauga. Also, visit us on Facebook and Instagram at DentistryInStreetsville.