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Can I Pull My Child’s Tooth on My Own?

August 2, 2023 6:25 pm

It can be difficult to tell if you should take your child seriously when they say their tooth is loose. They’ve already smelled the money in the air from the tooth fairy and are anxious to yank that sucker out and get their payday. While you can assist your child with pulling a tooth, you should definitely be careful about when you offer your assistance. Sometimes, pulling a tooth too early can cause long-term orthodontic problems such as overcrowding and alignment issues. In some cases, you shouldn’t be helping your child pull a tooth at all. We can assess their teeth and gums on a regular basis to make sure everything’s on track. If they need a professional’s help, we offer pediatric tooth extractions in Laredo. In the case that your child needs a space maintainer, we can also offer that service at the time of the extraction. However, if you insist on pulling baby teeth at home (and they’ve been cleared for pulling), we’ve got a few tips to make it safe and easy. 

Don’t Pull a Tooth Unless It’s Barely Hanging On

From the moment that tooth is rocking in the gums, your child is pushing and pulling on it. While this isn’t overtly harmful, the tooth will naturally loosen and fall out on its own. Pushing it too hard can cause it to come out prematurely.   Prematurely losing a tooth may have a number of negative side effects, including:
  • Injuries on the neighboring or opposite teeth due to an uneven distribution of biting pressure
  • The neighboring teeth crowding into the open space, eventually resulting in overcrowding as the adult tooth erupts
  • Painful or difficult adult tooth eruptions, as the new tooth struggles to break into a crowded area
  We know you don’t want your child to experience avoidable complications, so encourage your child to leave a tooth alone until it’s really loose. You can help them completely remove the tooth if it’s barely hanging onto the gums by one of its edges. It should be easy to pluck free, and there should be hardly any blood. Better yet, you should be able to see the new tooth crowning in the gums.

Don’t Use Tools or Foreign Objects to Pull it

This may seem like common sense, but definitely don’t use tools like wrenches or pliers to pull the tooth loose. If it takes anything more than a gentle tug with your fingertips, then it’s not ready to come out. Plus, putting tools into your kid’s mouth where a new hole will be could endanger their gums and lead to infection.   Another reason to avoid using foreign objects to nudge a loose tooth is that you could damage surrounding teeth and gums. Teeth do experience surface-level trauma and scratching. That’s why we encourage our patients never to use their teeth as tools or to bite down on anything other than food.

Consult With Our Laredo Pediatric Dentist About Safe Extractions

Sometimes children need pediatric tooth extractions that are more than just the typical pulling of a loose tooth. We are here to offer support in that case. Our board-certified pediatric dentist is skilled in painless, stress-free extractions for children that need them. During the appointment, our entire staff will provide the kindness and consideration that your child needs to feel comfortable during the procedure. To schedule an appointment with Tots to Teens in Laredo, book online or call our office at 956-725-3100.
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