Encourage Your Child to Wiggle the Tooth

Before you do any work, encourage your child to do it for you. Many children are fascinated by loose teeth and want to be involved in the process of losing them—so let them! Teach your child how to gently wiggle the tooth back and forth with their tongue or a clean finger. Show them how to be gentle and never forceful with the tooth.

Use a Clean Material and Anchor the Tooth

Once the tooth is extremely loose (and maybe even hanging!), it’s time to consider pulling it. Before attempting to pull, choose a clean material such as some gauze or a clean cloth and gently feel the tooth with it. You’ll be able to feel how loose the tooth actually is, and ask your child if he or she feels any pain—pulling the tooth shouldn’t be painful for the child, and if it is, don’t move forward with the pulling!

Pull with a Twisting Motion

If your child’s tooth is extremely loose and ready to be pulled, grasp the tooth firmly while still holding the gauze or cloth around the tooth. You want to pull the tooth firmly and quickly with a twisting motion. Your child’s tooth should come right out with some bleeding. Your child might be frightened at first, but this is a good opportunity to teach him or her how to hold gauze over the area and stop the bleeding—good skills for future use!

When to Pull and Not to Pull

It’s important to remember that baby teeth shouldn’t be taken out prematurely if it can be avoided—best to let them come out on their own! However, some baby teeth won’t come out and will need to be pulled by your dentist. Never force a pulling, and it’s always best to consult your dentist before attempting any at-home pulls with your child!

You can attempt to pull your child’s loose tooth when:

 The tooth is very loose.

 The tooth is dangling in the socket.

 The tooth poses a risk for choking as it’s so loose it could fall out while the child is sleeping.

You should not pull your child’s tooth if:

 Your child complains that touching or pulling the tooth hurts.

 The tooth is still firmly in the socket.

 The tooth is somewhat loose, but not very.

Losing teeth can be a fun time for children, so schedule a visit with your dentist to talk about best practices when it comes to losing teeth. This is an excellent time to teach your children how to take proper care of their smiles and learn about how important their future adult teeth are!

The post How (and When) to Pull Your Child’s Loose Tooth appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

To Prevent Common Problems

Tooth decay is actually fairly common among young children, and the sugary snacks that are marketed to them aren’t any help. Your child’s dentist can tell if there are any signs of tooth decay and recommend healthy practices to you and your child. While brushing and flossing are important and should be routine for your child, eating sugary snacks frequently is unfortunately something that happens without much thought. These simple sugars create an ideal environment for bacteria that can lead to tooth decay and plaque buildup. Keep healthy and filling snacks around such as celery, apples, and carrots for your child, whether at sports practice or at home. Your dentist can ensure there’s no tooth decay during the back-to-school visit, and if so, get started on treating it to prevent further damage.

Proper Cleaning

The dentist can give your child a proper cleaning after a summer of indulging in sugary treats! This is important to not only get all those tiny spaces cleaned of plaque buildup, but also to get your child ready for the school routine. Brushing twice a day and flossing once a day should be an integral part of your child’s routine with getting ready for school. Your dentist can also determine problems during the cleaning—certain areas where there may be more plaque buildup than others, or maybe your child needs to pay attention to a certain area of his or her mouth when brushing. This proper cleaning and exam by your dentist will help your child start the school year off right with a healthy smile!

Get an Exam

Your dentist is trained to look at the development of your child’s mouth to ensure all is well. Your child’s jaw will develop until they are in their latter teenage years, so proper jaw development is important. Your dentist can also determine if your child has a proper bite. An improper bite can cause improper chewing, teeth grinding, and could even lead to sensitive or painful teeth due to exposure of roots over time from these symptoms. An improper bite can be corrected through braces or perhaps a nightly mouthguard is needed if your child grinds his or her teeth. It’s also sports season, which means your dentist can help get your child a custom mouthguard to fully protect their mouth during their favorite sport!

A back-to-school dental check-up is important when it comes to your child’s oral health. With a proper exam and cleaning, your dentist can determine if your child has any problems that could affect his or her attention and participation in school. Ensure your child is on their way to optimal oral health by visiting your dentist for back-to-school!

The post Why Do Kids Need a ‘Back-to-School’ Dental Visit? appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.