If you have a child that is ready to lose their baby teeth, they may have refused to pull them on their own. But should you pull their loos baby teeth? Our pediatric dentists at The Moose Dentist can help children with loose teeth and give advice to parents on how to best care for baby teeth and emerging adult teeth.

Why Baby Teeth Wiggle

Loose baby teeth come when the new adult teeth have begun to poke through. They usually come up right behind the baby tooth and can cause the baby teeth to wiggle back and forth. Front teeth usually become loose first but if your child is losing teeth out of order or they have experienced a fall lately, contact your dentist. 

Is It Causing Your Child Pain?

If you are thinking it would be best to pull your child’s baby teeth, there are some factors you should consider. The first factor is if the tooth is causing your child pain, or if pulling the tooth is painful. If the tooth is painful, you can contact your child’s dentist and find out the best course of action.

Don’t force your child’s baby teeth out of their mouth. This not only can be painful for them, but these teeth will fall out eventually on their own, so there is no rush. If your child does need their baby teeth removed in a more timely manner, your dentist may be able to pull them. 

Is The Tooth Still Rooted?

Some baby teeth can become loose but still be connected by roots inside your child’s mouth. If the tooth is still attached to the gums and does not move when tugged on, there is no need to interfere. 

Baby teeth will often fall out on their own, so pulling teeth is only necessary if it is causing your child trouble. 

The Best Way To Help Remove Baby Teeth

Although it is recommended to let teeth fall out on their own, there are some ways that you can help remove baby teeth. 

The best way to have children remove their baby teeth is to use their tongues to wiggle the tooth out of their mouth. This also keeps bacteria out of their mouth and doesn’t apply too much pressure. 

If your child is constantly touching or wiggling their tooth, have them bite down on an apple. The force of biting an apple may help dislodge the tooth or loosen it without damaging gum tissues. 

If the loose tooth is sensitive give them soft foods to prevent pain while eating. Make sure that children are still brushing and flossing normally with soft motions. If the tooth is loose for a long time, you can contact our dentists to help properly remove the tooth from the child’s mouth. 

The Moose Dentist

The Moose Dentist works hard to make all children comfortable and at ease while visiting the dentist. We know that lots of children can have dental anxiety and visiting the doctor or dentist is a very painful experience. Our dentists know how to deal with the behaviors of children and our therapy dog is great at greeting our patients. 

Pediatric dentists are perfect for treating baby teeth and giving advice that works best for little kids. With our offices in Pleasant View and Farmington, you can schedule your visits with us that won’t interrupt your entire day. Helping your kids have healthy teeth is our top priority, and proper oral care can only be accomplished with regular dental visits. Contact our office today or take a virtual tour on our website before you come for your appointment. 

This year National Tooth Fairy Day is August 22. This fun day takes place biannually, on February 28th and August 22. While this doesn’t mean anything special or that the tooth fairy will exactly visit your child, there are fun ways to make the day seem special and educate your children about proper dental hygiene. Here is some more helpful information about baby teeth, dental health, and more. 

Dental Health

Having proper dental health is important for children and adults alike. Starting your kids’ dental habits early is important for them to lose their baby teeth at the appropriate time and make sure the adult teeth come in properly. 

Proper brushing, the right toothbrush, and knowing how cavities form can help your child know just how important taking care of your teeth is. 

More About Losing Baby Teeth

Different types of children react differently to losing their baby teeth. Some children get really excited about losing teeth and putting them under their pillow for the tooth fairy. Others are more worried or fearful about the pain of losing teeth or what they will look like without them. Losing their first tooth is a big milestone for children and parents alike and can come with lots of anticipation. 

Baby teeth are important in making room for new adult teeth. Baby teeth often fall out of children’s mouths from around four to seven years old and may come with some bleeding when the tooth first falls out. It is important to keep your child calm and make sure they don’t swallow the free tooth. Even if the permanent tooth is not showing at first, it will start to poke through within the next few weeks. 

More About The Tooth Fairy

While the specific origin of the tooth fairy is not totally known, the trading or selling of baby teeth can date back to the 18th century and The Little Mouse story from France. Traditions of shed tooth rituals date back centuries and are cultures around the world. In America, the tooth fairy is not based around a religious origin like the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus and is a combination of many different cultures. The tooth fairy appears in many commercials and movies and even had her own museum in Illinois for a while.

Today, children receive around $3.70 per tooth. This price has risen in recent years and some children will receive more money if they lose a molar or multiple teeth at once.

Ways To Celebrate

Making small moments special for your child can create great memories. There are some small ways you can celebrate National Tooth Fairy Day and show the importance of dental health. 

Tooth Fairy Pillow- Small teeth can get lost easily, so creating a Tooth Fairy Pillow can make a special place for the tooth to sit while on the nightstand or hand from a door handle. There are plenty of options and creative ideas to show your child’s personality. A tooth fairy pillow gives your child peace of mind knowing that they will not lose their tooth. 

A Toothy Craft- If the child is not into the tooth fairy pillow idea, there are other crafts that can have just as much tooth magic. Print out coloring pages, create a tooth bag, take pictures of smiles or draw some. 

Talk About Teeth- You can use this opportunity to talk to your child about the importance of teeth, what we use them for, how they can take care of them, and how our smile affects our self-confidence. There are many children’s books that help to explain the importance of oral health in a simple way. Talking about the dentist and oral health can be educational and fun. 

Teeth Healthy Treats- Celebrations usually come with treats or desserts. For National Tooth Fairy Day you can celebrate with veggies or fruits that help to strengthen tooth enamel. While not all sweets are bad and can be eaten in moderation, today would be an appropriate day to eat something more healthy for your teeth. 

Teach About Oral Health- Teaching the importance of proper brushing and flossing helps keep kids healthy. This day is a perfect opportunity to talk about more dental practices and how regular dental checkups can prevent cavities. 

The Moose Dentist

Choosing a pediatric dentist that you trust is important when it involves your child. Once your child starts to form baby teeth, they should have regular checkups and practice brushing their teeth. Baby teeth should be taken care of and prevented from cavities, even though they eventually fall out. Baby teeth are important to make space in your child’s mouth for adult teeth. 

The Moose Dentist wants to make a comfortable environment for your children. Some patients experience dental anxiety and will avoid dental cleanings because of this reason. We want your children to know that the dentist is not something to be feared and we will help them take control of their health. Talking to your children before you come to the dentist can help them feel better prepared. 
With offices located in Pleasant View and Farmington, we serve many families and different children with unique needs. Come into one of our offices today and take a tour. You can meet our dentists and get your children familiar with our office. Contact us today and ask any questions you might have.

Taking your children to the dentist is an important step in making sure their adult teeth come in properly and their oral health is in good shape. Many children experience dental anxiety or worry about going to the dentist. Here at Mountain View Pediatric Dental, we want your child to have fun in our office while learning about the importance of dental care.

Our dentists, dental assistants, and office staff work to help your child feel comfortable and have fun. Our dentists are friendly and know how to work with children calmly. To make visits to the dentist more fun, we have incentives for children to earn prizes and treats by dressing up and having zero cavities. 

Our cavity-free club helps children receive treats or discounted items at businesses around our area. Some of these items include a free drink or cookie from Twisted Sugar, free cotton candy from Yummy Sweets And Soda Shoppe, a free small fry from Kirt’s Drive-In, and many more. Having something to look forward to can be fun for people of all ages. 

Costume Themes

In addition to our cavity-free club, each month we have a costume theme. Come dressed up according to the theme and receive a chocolate moose! This fun incentive helps patients feel more relaxed during their appointment and makes our whole staff smile. For the coming months, we have some themes that we think your children will enjoy. 

August 

For August, the theme is wearing a crazy hat or having crazy hair. This could be a brightly colored hat, something that you and your child made together, a mohawk spiked in your hair, or done in a crazy color! The best way to take part in our monthly theme is to get creative and have fun doing it. 

Throughout the month, you will see our dentists and office staff dressed up for the theme as well. So watch out for their creative ideas as well. 

September

In September, school is back in full swing so appropriately, the theme for the month is school pride. Dress as your favorite college sports player, wear your school’s spirit shirt or dress like your teacher. The options are endless and we encourage children to use their imagination in any way they can. School can be a stressful time for some and often includes a routine visit to the dentist. Help your kids look forward to their visit and have some fun. 

October

October is the month of costumes and our theme is Halloween costumes. This gives you and your child endless options of what to wear to their dental visit. They can wear the costume that they plan to wear for Halloween, their favorite princess dress or superhero cap, or have their face painted. Just remember, the dentist will be cleaning their teeth, so wear something that is going to make the dentist’s job easier, or can be taken off for a short time. 

Halloween can be a great time to visit the dentist because of candy and other sweets that are plentiful. We want Halloween to be an enjoyable time without the stress of cavities. Regular dental checkups ensure that kids’ teeth stay strong. 

November

Our theme for November is flannel shirts. Fall can get cold and brisk so many people choose to break out the flannel shirts. Flannel is a very popular pattern these days and is the perfect indicator for fall. Your flannel can come in any color or style that you choose. 

December

The appropriate theme for December is bound to be Christmas-themed. Christmas is a magical time for children, we want to include the magic in our dental office and during dental cleanings. Dressing up in a Christmas sweater or just red and green can be counted towards our theme. Our office will also be decorated for the holiday season and dressing up can bring more holiday spirit into our office. 

Mountain View Pediatric Dental

Our mission is to have a professional environment while making sure that your children feel safe and have fun while getting dental work done. We treat our patients like our own children and have learned to work with those who experience dental anxiety. 
Our dentists want to help children enjoy the dentist and protect their teeth. We make proper dental diagnoses and work to create the best possible plan for your child. Set up an appointment with our office and help your child have the strongest teeth, gums, and jaw possible. Schedule your appointment in our Pleasant View or Farmington office today.