Should You Pull a Loose Baby Tooth?

Losing baby teeth is a necessary part of a child’s development. For some children, it’s no big deal. A tooth feels loose. They wiggle it around with their finger for a few days. Then it falls out on its own. There is limited pain. And very little blood.

Then your youngster has a charming gap-toothed smile for a while.

What if the tooth doesn’t fall out?

In some cases, however, things don’t go as expected. The tooth won’t come out after a week of wiggling. It hurts so much your youngster can’t sleep.

What if the timing seems peculiar? Maybe a molar becomes loose before one of the front teeth.

If you experience this situation, Dr. Jeff cautions against forcefully pulling out the tooth.

What do pediatric dentists want parents to know when a baby tooth won’t fall out?

  • If a loose tooth won’t fall out on its own, make an appointment for an exam.
  • Don’t practice DIY dentistry. No strings on doorknobs. No pliers in kids’ mouths.
  • If a tooth doesn’t fall out on its own, it might not be loose because the permanent tooth is pushing it out.
  • A loose tooth that doesn’t fall out on its own is in danger of infection.

Teeth generally fall out in the sequence they emerged. Your pediatric dentist can show you an eruption chart at your child’s next check-up.

Have your pediatric dentist check your youngster’s teeth at least twice a year, even if you don’t suspect there are any problems.

Are you looking for the friendliest pediatric dentist in the Fargo area?

We invite you to meet Dr. Jeff and the team at Designer Smiles in Fargo.

We create a pleasant dental experience for our patients. We are passionate about making sure youngsters look forward to visits.

We serve toddlers, young children, and adolescents. We focus on preventative dentistry and helping families establish healthy dental habits for life. We want to ensure your child doesn’t suffer from preventable tooth decay. We also detect issues in the early stages when they are easier (and less costly) to correct.

 

Contact Designer Smiles:

701-298-9400

Location (Tap to open in Google Maps):

3525 25th St S
Fargo, North Dakota
58104

 

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