Toothless: When Children Lose Teeth

If your child has recently turned six years old, you can expect to see their teeth start to loosen very soon. Your child will usually lose their baby teeth beginning in the front of the mouth and ending in the back. This can be a very exciting (and sometimes scary) time for children, so here are some things you should know about loose baby teeth.

• When the permanent teeth develop, the roots of the baby teeth are reabsorbed, which makes them loose. The permanent teeth will further aid this looseness by pushing against the baby teeth.
• Teeth should not be pulled if they aren’t very loose. Doing so would not only be uncomfortable, but also indicates that it is too early for the tooth to be pulled. Baby teeth that leave the mouth too early can cause the permanent teeth to grow in crooked.
• It is best to let your child play with and pull out their loose teeth rather than have you do it. Your child can tell how loose the tooth is and whether tugging at it causes too much discomfort.
• Your child will not choke on a baby tooth if they accidently swallow it. It will not cause any other problems for the rest of the body as well.