How to Pull a Loose Tooth Without Pain?

The process of losing the first baby tooth is at the same time thrilling and scary for both – parents and children. While the kids can’t wait to meet the Tooth Fairy they have heard stories about, the parents are worried whether they will be able to pull a loose tooth without the pain when the time comes. 

We have all been in this situation in our childhood, but since it was a long time ago, you might have trouble remembering all the methods that can be very useful. Luckily, there are many easy ways to help your child pass through this process smoothly and stress-free, and we are happy to share with you some of the best practices to pull a loose tooth pain-free. 

1. Frequent Tooth Wiggling

One of the things you can do is to tell your child to wiggle the loose tooth back and forward with his tongue or clean hands as much as possible. Of course, you will need to check whether this activity causes your kids discomfort, and if not, they can continue with wiggling until it comes out. 

2. Flossing

Except for helping you to keep your teeth clean, flossing can also help your child pull out a loose tooth easily and without pain. You are probably wondering how this works, and the good news is that this method is very easy to implement. All your child has to do is to position the floss in the middle of the loose tooth and its adjacent tooth, and apply a back and forth motion. This should help twist the floss at the base of a loose tooth.

3. Gauze or a Wet Washcloth

If you decide to use gauze or a washcloth technique, it will have to be wet and cold. This method is used to grip a tooth and turn it to pull it out easily. The freezing temperature will create less discomfort and pain during the process, and the gauze or washcloth can also be used to stop the potential bleeding more easily. 

When You Should Apply Some of the Above-Listed Methods?

Reading about all these methods can make you think that you can apply one of them as soon as you notice that your child has a loose tooth. However, you have to be very careful and avoid doing any of this unless the tooth is extremely loose or hanging from a socket. Before pulling it out, you will have to be sure that your child doesn’t feel any pain because if it hurts, it means that the root is not completely dissolved and you can make things worse by taking it out prematurely. 

What Are the Consequences of Pulling a Loose tooth Out Too Soon?

Besides causing excessive bleeding, if you pull out a loose baby tooth too early it can lead to many other dental issues too. One of the problems that can appear is that the surrounding teeth shift and occupy the vacant space. This means that the new, adult tooth can have problems while developing and growing in a crooked position, which is one of the medical reasons for your child to wear braces in the future.

Is It Alright to Pull A Loose Tooth Out By Yourself?

As you can see, this is not as easy as it might seem. Because of that, dentists always suggest waiting until nature takes its action and the times come for the baby tooth to come out. Having this in mind, it is obvious that you should not pull out a loose tooth on your own unless you are one hundred percent sure that it doesn’t cause any pain to your child. If you decide to do that, make sure to try out one of the above-mentioned tactics, to minimize the risk of making things worse. 

When It Is Time To Visit a Dentist?

In case you have tried to take the baby tooth out at home, and there is excessive bleeding, you should visit your dentist as soon as possible. Also, in case that the baby tooth is still there, and you can see the adult tooth coming out, you should get a professional consultation to prevent further complications.

On the other side, if you have successfully pulled out a loose tooth by using some of the methods we shared with you, it would be good to take your child to the dentist, to be sure that everything is done properly. Also, you can ask your doctor to explain to your child the importance of keeping oral hygiene on the top level, especially after the baby tooth comes out, and you can also learn more about different types of kids’ mouthwash that can help you with this.

We hope that these tips will help you overcome this challenge and help you minimize the fear your child might have.