3650 Winter Garden Vineland Rd.
Winter Garden, FL
Loose Tooth
What should I do if my child’s baby tooth is knocked out?
Contact our office as soon as possible.
What should I do if my child’s permanent tooth is knocked out?
Rinse the knocked out tooth in cool water. Do not scrub the tooth. If possible, replace the tooth in the socket and hold it there with clean gauze. If you can’t put the tooth back into the socket, place the tooth in a container of milk (or water if milk is not available.) Come to our office immediately. Feel free to call our emergency number if it is after hours. The tooth has a better chance of being saved if you act immediately.
What should I do if my child’s tooth is fractured or chipped?
Contact our office as soon as possible. Time is of the essence! Our goal is to save the tooth and prevent infection. Rinse the mouth out with water and apply a cold compress to reduce swelling. It’s possible that if you can find the broken tooth fragment, it can be bonded back to the tooth.
What do I do if my child has a toothache?
Call our office immediately to schedule an appointment. To help comfort your child, rinse out the mouth with cold water and apply a compress.
How can we prevent dental injuries?
Simple. Sport related dental injuries can be reduced or prevented by wearing mouth guards. Child proofing your home can help reduce injuries at home. In addition, regular dental check ups will contribute to preventative care.
What should I do if my child’s baby tooth is knocked out?
Contact our office as soon as possible.
What should I do if my child’s permanent tooth is knocked out?
Rinse the knocked out tooth in cool water. Do not scrub the tooth. If possible, replace the tooth in the socket and hold it there with clean gauze. If you can’t put the tooth back into the socket, place the tooth in a container of milk (or water if milk is not available.) Come to our office immediately. Feel free to call our emergency number if it is after hours. The tooth has a better chance of being saved if you act immediately.
What should I do if my child’s tooth is fractured or chipped?
Contact our office as soon as possible. Time is of the essence! Our goal is to save the tooth and prevent infection. Rinse the mouth out with water and apply a cold compress to reduce swelling. It’s possible that if you can find the broken tooth fragment, it can be bonded back to the tooth.
What do I do if my child has a toothache?
Call our office immediately to schedule an appointment. To help comfort your child, rinse out the mouth with cold water and apply a compress.
How can we prevent dental injuries?
Simple. Sport related dental injuries can be reduced or prevented by wearing mouth guards. Child proofing your home can help reduce injuries at home. In addition, regular dental check ups will contribute to preventative care.
Losing baby teeth is a rite of passage for kids, and makes them feel like they're truly growing up.
Typically, your child starts to discover "wiggly teeth" around the age of five or six. Some children, however, start losing their primary set later. It's important that they understand it's perfectly normal. This can be a very exciting time for your child and it helps to have a few good tips to get everyone through the process.
Resorption
The process of losing baby teeth begins as the permanent teeth start to dissolve or resorb the roots. This happens gradually; once a tooth starts to loosen, it may take a few months for it to finally fall out. Once a tooth comes out, it will appear smaller out of the mouth due to this root resorption. Usually, the first teeth to come out are the two lower front teeth, or central incisors. This occurs around five or six, according to Parents magazine, but it can be delayed until the age of eight depending on when the first baby teeth erupt. If your child was a late teether, his or her permanent teeth will probably erupt later as well.
When It Comes Loose
To be prepared for your child to lose baby teeth, visit our office, beginning at age one. According to the American Dental Association (ADA), a dental visit at this age is a "well baby checkup." In addition to looking for decay and other dental problems, the dental office will recommend a preventative schedule to monitor your child's baby teeth at home. It may even be at one of these dental visits that a wiggly tooth is discovered! Once this occurs, continue to:
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maintain normal brushing and flossing.
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encourage your child to personally remove the tooth, but only if it is extremely loose.
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reassure him that they're not the only ones; it's normal to be "toothless" for a while.
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If the tooth is not extremely loose, kids will inevitably wiggle it with their tongues, expediting the process. But it is important to note that the resorption process happens at its own pace, and it is never recommended to tie floss or string around a tooth to pull it out. On the other hand, if the baby tooth is very loose, it can be uncomfortable for your child to eat and brush. In this instance, it's perfectly acceptable to try to help your child finish the job at its final stages.
What to Do
When your child's loose tooth gets even looser, the best course of action is to get it out! Whether he is brave or squeamish, some parental guidance will be necessary. Once the tooth is out, there may be some light bleeding from the gums. This bleeding should stop in a few minutes and the area may appear irritated for a day or two.
Some tips for before and after losing a tooth include:
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removing it with clean fingers or a moistened gauze.
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reducing the bleeding with pressure from tissue or gauze in the area for just a few minutes.
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brushing the area gently for a day or two.
Be sure to call us if the bleeding doesn't stop, or any portion of the baby tooth remains in the socket. Above all, focus on good oral hygiene during this process. Losing baby teeth indicates that your child is maturing and his permanent teeth are ready to erupt. Children at this age should be brushing with a toothpaste that contains fluoride for its cavity fighting benefits.
