What to Do with a Child’s Loose Tooth

If you have a child with a loose baby tooth, you may think if you should try to pull it or simply wait for it to loosen and come out on its own. Pulling a loose tooth from your little one’s mouth is quite tempting, but this isn’t always the best thing to do.

Below are some things you should know before attempting to pull a loose tooth.

Why is It Loose?

A loose tooth does not mean that a permanent tooth is about to erupt. Sometimes, children know their teeth when they accidentally fall or when playing. In case a tooth is knocked loose, it is best to schedule an appointment with your dentist so he can check it to prevent the risk of having an infection or even damage to the permanent tooth.

Children often lose their teeth in about the same order that they emerge. The frontal teeth loosen first, often between the age of six and seven. When the permanent tooth begins to erupt, the baby tooth’s roots dissolve until it loosens and painlessly fall out with very minimal bleeding.

If the loose tooth isn’t ready to fall out naturally, trying to extract it could affect the sensitive roots, causing unnecessary pain. If you are unsure why one specific tooth is loose, and you are not sure why it’s too early, you may talk to your pediatric dentist about this matter.

How to Help Your Child Loosen Baby Teeth

Kids usually start to lose their baby teeth between the age of four and seven. But some baby teeth can still remain until the age of 12. Although they naturally fall out and are replacement by permanent adult teeth, in some cases, baby teeth require a little help in coming out.

Before you start, be sure to wash you and your child’s hands with soap and water. Next, check the loose tooth to see whether the baby tooth is really loose. If you think that it’s loose enough, here is what you can tell your child to do to help him/her remove the baby tooth:

1.       Tell your child to gently wiggle the tooth. Don’t twist or pull, just move the tooth back and forth to make it looser.

2.       Have your child move the tooth around to determine if there’s any pain. If there is, it’s not ready yet to be removed.

3.       Give your child something crunchy to eat, like an apple, to help loosen the tooth.

4.       Have your child brush their teeth several times a day to help loosen it.

It’s strongly advised to let your child pull their own tooth, because they are only the ones who can best tell it the loose tooth is ready to come out. This will help reduce the amount of bloodor pain that could result from a tooth coming out prematurely.

What are the Foods that Can Help Strengthen Children’s Teeth

While eating too much sweets can cause caries and cavities, did you know that lots of other foods can actually strengthen your little one’s teeth?

Here is a list of the top foods that help oral health.

Oranges, Limes, Kiwis, Berries. Your child’s mouth is full of various types of bacteria and some of them may even cause gum disease such as gingivitis. Vitamin C in fruits such as cantaloupe, orange, limes, strawberries and papaya helps fight bacteria and promote the production of collagens in the gums. Other natural sources of Vitamin C are vegetables such as tomatoes, sweet potatoes and red, orange and yellow peppers. But dentists advise that children must wait at least 30 minutes after eating citrusy foods before cleaning their teeth. It is due to the citric acid present in fruits which can temporarily weaken the enamel. This can leave the teeth susceptible to erosion due to brushing.

Seeds and nuts. Sesame, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, and nuts are rich in natural fats that help shield the teeth from bacteria by coating the teeth with its oil. The seed oils help strengthen the enamel too, making teeth more resilient to cavities. In addition, most seeds are packed with calcium too. Children ages 4 and above can eat trail mix as a healthy snack.

Sugarless gum. Chewing any food triggers the production of saliva. Saliva loosens plaque, keeps the gums hydrated and stimulates natural antibodies in the mouth. According to the American Dental Association, chewing sugarless gum for 20 minutes after a meal can help prevent decay. In fact, the organization recently awarded Extra, Orbit and Eclipse gums their Seal of Acceptance after Wrigley did studies showing its brand’s dental health benefits. But kids below the age 4 shouldn’t chew gum, unless you can trust them never to swallow it.

Dairy products. Starchy carbohydrates such as white potatoes, paste and bread are metabolised into sugar. Such form of sugar feeds certain bacteria in your kid’s mouth, producing acid that causes caries. When kids drink milk or eats cheese or yogurt, foods that rich in Vitamin D, calcium and phosphorus, it increases the pH level of their mouth, which lowers the acid levels as well as the risk for developing tooth caries. Calcium is also great in other ways. Calcium bonds with plaque and to the teeth, which further protects the teeth from lingering acid. It also strengths the bones that support your child’s teeth and repairs damaged enamel, making their teeth more resistant to any periodontal diseases in the future.

Crisp vegetables. Celery, green beans, snap peas, cauliflower and raw carrots are ‘chewing foods’, which means it can mechanically clean your child’s gums and teeth. These foods scrape away plaque that children miss when brushing or that accumulates between meals. Tell your children to chew their food and eat slowly.