Should I Pull My Child’s Loose Tooth?

Most of our teeth got a little help falling out when we were younger. Dad would tie a string around a tooth and the other end around the doorknob, or mom would just reach in and yank! Our parents or grandparents really never thought twice about helping our teeth fall out, but you may be wondering about your own child’s loose tooth.

A loose tooth doesn’t necessarily mean your child is receiving his or her permanent teeth. Kids roughhouse and they sometimes knock their teeth loose on accident. If this happens, please be sure to bring your child in to Little Rockies Pediatric Dentistry, as there could be a risk of infection in the soft tissue or damage to the permanent tooth underneath.

These days, it is not advisable to yank your child’s loose tooth out. You could damage the sensitive tissues around the tooth. This damage can cause pain, bleeding and even an infection. It’s perfectly natural for your child to be curious about their loose tooth, even wiggling it or playing with it until it falls out on its own. This is the best way to approach a loose tooth – allowing it to fall out naturally.

It can be frustrating to wait and let nature take its course (especially for a child who is anxious for a visit from the Tooth Fairy!), but this is the best way to minimize the bleeding, pain and possible infection that could come with pulling a tooth out.

If your child has a loose tooth and you have any questions or concerns regarding the tooth, please contact Dr. Matthew Brady at Little Rockies Pediatric Dentistry, located in Parker, CO.