It can be exhilarating for children when their baby teeth start to fall out. Most baby teeth will come out of their own accord. However, it can be a nice training experience for your child to learn how to help the loosened tooth come out.

In order to help your child, as a parent you need to be aware of the signals that your child’s tooth is ready to be pulled. You also need to be aware of the steps your child needs to take to help move the process forward. The following information should be beneficial in helping you get prepared to help your child when the time comes for their baby teeth to come out.

When Do Kids Begin to Lose Their Baby Teeth?

Your child has 20 baby teeth. With time, they are replaced with stronger permanent teeth. This process happens throughout childhood. You should expect your child to lose their baby teeth at around six years of age. However, some children may lose their first tooth as early as four years of age. Others may not lose teeth until they are eight years old.

As a general rule, you can use the time when your child got their first baby teeth as a way of predicting when they may lose their baby teeth. On average, babies get their first teeth at around six months. If your child cuts teeth at around three or four months, it’s probable that they will lose their baby teeth earlier. The opposite is also true.

Tips to Make the Tooth Removal Painless

Wiggling

The best way to loosen a baby tooth is by wiggling it as much as possible. Your child can help the process along by using their tongue or a clean fingertip to push and wiggle the tooth. Encourage your child to use a slow and steady method. If the tooth is pushed too hard in one direction or another, this can cause pain.

Chewing Hard Foods

Biting on hard foods, like an apple, celery, or carrots, can make a baby tooth loose in a quick and painless manner. If this does not do the trick, have your child bite a popsicle immediately prior to pulling the tooth out. The cold of the popsicle can numb the area.

Brush and Floss

You can use dental floss and a toothbrush to loosen a baby tooth painlessly. Have your child use an up-and-down motion on both sides of the tooth to loosen it. You can help your child curve the floss around the bottom of the tooth to help loosen the roots.

Medical Gauze

There are two benefits to using medical gauze when removing a baby tooth. First, gauze makes it easier to grip the tooth. Second, it makes the process sterile. Encourage your child to wiggle their tooth while holding onto a piece of gauze to loosen the tooth. When the tooth is ready to be removed, it will come out easily and without pain.

Do Not Pull the Tooth out Prematurely

You do not want to pull out your child’s baby teeth before they are ready. Pulling a tooth out prematurely can lead to excessive bleeding. It could be severe enough that you will need to visit the dentist to get the bleeding under control.

If baby teeth are removed before the permanent teeth are ready to emerge, this could cause adjacent teeth to shift, leading to future dental issues. It can also lead to permanent teeth coming in crooked, which will lead to your child needing braces or other orthodontic appliances.