Child’s Loose Tooth
A child’s loose tooth is an exciting milestone for both child and parent alike!
What does a child’s loose tooth mean? Why do they fall out? When should you expect a child’s loose tooth to fall out?
Loose teeth are a sign of growth and maturation.
As permanent teeth form and begin to move their way into a child’s mouth, they dissolve the root of the primary (baby) tooth causing the tooth to get loose and eventually fall out.
The primary teeth fall out in approximately the same order they come in. The front teeth will go first, around age 6, while the baby molars will remain until roughly age 12. By age 13 your child should have all of their permanent teeth. Like every child, every mouth is different with about a year deviation from this schedule considered normal. If you are unsure whether your child is off schedule for teeth falling out or erupting, consult your dentist.
Teeth can also become loose due to injury.
In this case, it is very important to NOT wiggle the tooth and to consult your dentist as soon as possible.
While it is important to not wiggle teeth that are not yet ready to come out, it is also very important to wiggle out teeth that are ready to come out. Once a tooth becomes loose on its own, a permanent tooth is making its way into the mouth. If the baby tooth does not fall out (or is pulled out) in a timely manner, the permanent tooth can be negatively affected in ways such as malalignment or may even develop a cavity.
If a primary tooth is barely loose, give it some more time for more of the root to resorb. When a tooth is very loose, easily pushed over with the tongue for example, it is ready to come out. If your child is unable to wiggle the loose tooth out on his own, you can help pull it out with a quick twist.
If you are unable to pull the tooth out, you should recruit the help of your dentist.
Here at Adams and Cheek Dentistry we proudly serve patients of all ages. We would be honored to help answer any questions you may have about your child’s loose tooth. Please call us today at (919)866-1360 to set up an appointment or click here to request an appointment online.
For more information on when to pull your child’s loose tooth, refer to Colgate’s Oral Care Center found here.