My Kid Has A Tooth Loose. What Should I Do?

Your kid’s milk teeth will start falling out around the age of 6. For those children whose teeth developed earlier, the milk teeth may fall out earlier. So if your child is only 4 and the teeth are starting to become loose, most probably there is nothing to worry about.

At the most, you could check him for injuries, to see if it’s a natural process or the result of the injury, and in case of doubt you could see a dentist. For some kids the milk teeth start falling when they are 7. The teeth fall out in the same order that they emerged with the lower front incisors falling out first followed by the upper first incisors.

What to expect when your kid has a tooth loose?

When milk teeth start falling out, permanent teeth begin replacing them. The permanent tooth absorbs the roots of the primary tooth and takes its place. When a milk tooth has started to become loose, it means that a permanent tooth has started forming and pushing below it for taking its place; unless it is the result of an injury.

In the latter case, you should see a dentist who will fit a customized place holder until the permanent tooth has emerged. This is to make sure that there are no problems of spacing in future. Sometimes permanent teeth start to emerge behind the milk teeth even before they have become loose. These are called shark teeth.

What to do when a tooth is loose?

Most of the kids are excited about the tooth fairy when their teeth start becoming loose. It is a milestone for them. Here is how you can make the experience better for your kid.

• If your child feels worried it, you can reassure him that he is not going to experience any pain.
• Losing a tooth isn’t as painful as teething.
• Most kids automatically start wiggling their teeth when they start to get wobbly; if your child doesn’t encourage him to do so.
• Try not to yank the teeth out. Only your child knows how loose or attached the tooth is and only he can decide how he wants to lose the teeth.
• The best thing to do is to let nature take its course.
• If the roots still haven’t dissolved well, yanking the teeth out may lead to infection not to mention can be traumatic for the child as well.

If a 6-7 year old is complaining of pain in the back of his mouth, it is probably because his molars have started to emerge. The pain can be eased by Ibuprofen or Acetaminophen. After the new teeth start emerging, make sure the child is brushing his teeth properly. Some children also stop brushing teeth that are loose and you may need to supervise them.