Should I Pull My Child’s Tooth?

Pull It or Leave It?

It’s a big deal in a young child’s life to lose their “baby” teeth. Some young ones are excited and can’t wait to feel like they’re a “big kid.” Others might want to be a big kid too, but they’re not so eager due to fear of pain or bleeding gums. So when a child’s first baby tooth becomes loose, parents always have the question: “To pull or not to pull?”

Dealing with Loose Baby Teeth

How should you deal with your child’s first loose baby tooth? First, we will start with what not to do.

How Not to Pull a Tooth

1. Tie a string to the loose tooth.
2. Tie the string to a door handle.
3. Slam the door.
4. Hear the child cry as their mouth bleeds.

This is not the best way to handle pulling a child’s tooth! In most instances, the best thing to do is to wait. Trust your child to know the right time for a tooth to be removed. Their curiosity will likely lead them to wiggle it so that it loosens up enough to fall out. Sometimes the youngster just ends up pulling it all on their own. Yanking a tooth out does nothing to help your child and can contribute to future fears of dental work. If you have concerns because a tooth seems to be “hanging on forever,” feel free to visit one of our Placerville dentists for a consultation.

After the Tooth Comes Out

When that loose baby tooth finally does come out, what should you do? Help the child gently rinse their mouth with warm salt water. Give them some clean gauze to gently bite down on to stop any bleeding. Tell them how proud you are! They’re a big kid now! Explain the new tooth coming in is the kind that lasts “forever,” but only if they take good care of it. So train them to have good dental habits that last a lifetime:

• Brush twice a day for two minutes each time with a fluoride toothpaste (2×2).
• Floss daily.
• Visit the dentist twice a year.
• Eat healthy food and avoid soda for strong teeth.

When good oral hygiene habits start early in life, this keeps all teeth, baby and adult, in tip-top shape! The Placerville Dental Group is always available to answer questions. Visit our office at 699 Main Street, Suite B, give us a call at (530) 444-5322 or use our website to contact us.