Losing Baby Teeth
by Gina Ritter
Never have I seen a child so excited to lose
a tooth as my second born son. It was one of the biggest signs
of becoming a big kid
to date, and coincided with his learning how to whistle and finishing
his first chapter book in the same weekend. Finally! He was a
big boy! Now he wouldn’t be the only one in class who hadn’t
lost a tooth.
When the first tooth wiggled just a little, we
warned him not to push on it too much and for good reason.
He was on top of
the world! That is, until he couldn’t chew without his
top tooth colliding with the bottom, causing him pain. He cried
about the pain and the annoyance on and off for a few hours before
it finally plunked out and hit the floor.
When do teeth fall out?
An
early teether as a baby may loose teeth earlier in childhood
as well - you may have a child of only four years
loosing her
first tooth. However, it’s better for a tooth to stay longer
under the gum line as it will be hardier and less cavity prone.
Typically in the fifth or sixth year your child will begin to
lose the two bottom front teeth, followed by the two front top
teeth. Any child over seven years old who has not lost a tooth
should take a precautionary visit to the dentist to be sure there
are no problems. X-rays may be suggested to check for teeth under
the gum line.
Once in a while
a child will grow ‘shark teeth’ and the new teeth
will begin growing in behind the baby teeth, pushing them out
in a few weeks. This is actually quite normal, but you should
visit the child’s if you have questions or if the ‘shark
teeth’ remain for 2-3 months.
How should the tooth come out?
The root of the tooth begins to dissolve over weeks or months,
causing the tooth to fall out. They need no help coming out
unless they’re literally hanging by a thread causing
gum pain. Please don’t allow extreme measures like using
string to pull the tooth! You may even have a tooth caught
in a piece of food or harmlessly swallowed.
Wiggling a tooth is fine, but shouldn’t be encouraged to
the point of pain and hands should be washed beforehand to prevent
germs from entering the mouth and root area. The root needs to
dissolve enough, otherwise breaking a tooth off at the root might
cause infection. If a tooth is very loose but just hanging on,
you might use fingers, washcloth or tissue to turn the tooth
around – literally rotating the tooth in its socket.
If the child is experiencing discomfort, offer liquids, soups,
and all the mashed or pureed foods they can tolerate to keep
them well nourished until the tooth comes out. If the child is
simultaneously experiencing pain and swelling from their six-year
molars arriving at the same time, treat with your usual brand
of pain reliever or a topical tooth pain relieving gel.
Ok, the tooth has come out! Now what?
New teeth waiting below the gum line will soon grow and sometimes
they’ll look oddly large and not as nice. Ridges will show
across the top, they’ll be off white, and they’ll
look as if they’re twice the size they should be. Don’t
worry! Your child will grow into them. Visit a dentist if the
teeth are twisted, crowded, or otherwise obviously abnormal.
Don’t Forget!
Be sure your child continues to brush twice daily and floss with
your help if needed! In all the excitement, they may be inclined
to forget or want to skip their tooth brushing routine.
RESOURCES
Check
out the Lost Tooth & Tooth Fairy Pillows, Boxes, and Books!
Lost
Tooth Inflation Article
The Tooth Fairy is serious business in most households with school-aged
children. Who can forget the anxiety of having a loose tooth?
The accompanying fear that the actual pulling will be painful
and the careful placing of the tooth under your pillow are honored
rites of passage. The best of all is the thrilling excitement
of waking up and searching under your pillow for a shiny quarter
- or $1.78 as the case may be.
Tooth
Fairy Land
You can visit my gift shop, read about the history of The Tooth
Fairy or learn the answers to common questions kids have. I am
also so very happy to be able to maintain a photo gallery of children
showing off their lost teeth -- or rather, their space where a
baby tooth used to be. There are so many Tooth Fairy Helpers that
help make Tooth Fairy Land a magical place, visit the dental emergencies
section for some first aid tips, and the showcase of Lost Tooth
Stories.
©
Gina Ritter
Gina
Ritter is the owner of Natural
Family Online, co-owner of Balter
Baby and the Balter
Catalogue Company, a mom to three precious boys, and an
artist. You may reprint this article by contacting her at gina
[at] taylexson.org.