If you have small children, you may have already encountered the discomforts of wiggly teeth. Teeth are normally shed around the time a child enters elementary school, and the process is completely natural. The primary teeth become loose and eventually fall out, making room for adult teeth.
Although the process of shedding teeth is not usually painful, it can be bothersome. Little ones sometimes complain about the sensation of a loose tooth moving about. In addition, if a youngster has never lost a tooth, the child may be a bit of afraid of what to expect from the new experience. As the parent of the little one, your child may look to you for guidance concerning alleviating the discomfort of the wiggly tooth or even removing the tooth altogether. Here are a few suggestions to help you point your little one in the right direction:
Use over-the-counter pain relievers.
If your child seems to be in pain, administer an over-the-counter pain reliever, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen. You may also choose an oral analgesic gel that can be applied directly to the tooth or gums.
Don't try to yank the tooth.
There are many old home remedies that would suggest forcibly yanking a wiggly tooth. However, these suggestions can do more harm than good. When a tooth is truly ready to release from your little one's mouth, it should wiggle freely in all directions without any pain. This occurs because the roots of the baby tooth dissolve to allow the permanent tooth and its roots to develop.
If a tooth is only a bit wiggly, some of the dental root material may still be in place. Ripping the tooth from the socket may not only cause your child extreme discomfort, but it may also leave some tooth material in the gums. Any remaining pieces of the primary tooth will need to be removed by a dentist.
Let your child do the wiggling.
Your child will intuitively stop wiggling a tooth if he or she experiences pain. Thus, it's best to leave the wobbling up to your little one. Still, regularly moving the tooth about can encourage it to gently detach from the gums. So, if your child is regularly complaining about a tooth that appears to be barely attached, encourage your child to wiggle the tooth often. As an added measure, you can offer the little one a piece of sugarless gum or an apple. The act of chewing can help the tooth release from the mouth.
If you are concerned about your youngster's wiggly tooth, contact the office of a family dentist in your local area to schedule an appointment.
Share9 July 2017
Toddlers should see a dentist for the first time by the age of twelve months or by the time their first tooth comes in. But if you are a parent with toddlers anything like mine, the prospect of going to the dentist (let alone anywhere!) can be pretty intimidating. My kids were a handful growing up. They had tantrums any time we would have to sit in a waiting room, and they refused to get in the dentist's chair during their first few visits. So, I had to employ a professional to help me make the transition to finally getting them in that dental chair without all the screaming and crying. I know I'm not the only parent in this situation, so I decided to share the information I've learned with others who can use a little help. You can find all my advice right here on these pages!