What to Expect When Your Children Begin to Lose Teeth

Losing a first baby tooth can be quite a milestone for your child, not to mention the excitement of the Tooth Fairy. However, many parents have questions about what to expect or what’s normal for kids when they begin to lose teeth. While most children will lose their teeth with no issues whatsoever, there are a few things for you to know in order to keep your child’s oral health intact.

Loss of Baby Teeth

Baby teeth will typically begin to fall out between the ages of 5 and 7 years old. This loss of teeth will continue until around 12 or 13 years old. However, it’s important to remember that each child is different, so don’t be alarmed if your child is a little late or early.

Loose Teeth

Please allow your child’s teeth to fall out naturally. Pulling out a loose tooth before it’s ready to come out can cause injuries to the gum tissue and can increase the chances of infection. Many kids will mess with their teeth enough to work them loose, which is fine. But we don’t recommend using the slamming door method or any other such violent method to remove teeth.

Possible Complications

A few things to keep an eye out for would include:

• Jagged edges of a loose tooth – If the tooth edges are sharp, they may cut oral tissues and can potentially cause an infection.
• An adult tooth coming through before the baby tooth has fallen out – If the baby tooth hasn’t come out within a few weeks of the adult tooth emerging, we recommend making an appointment with your child’s dentist.
• Lastly, if your child experiences extreme swelling, pain, or signs of an infection (redness, pus, fever), please contact his or her pediatric dentist right away.

For any and all of your periodontal needs, please don’t hesitate to call Coastal Periodontics today. Our gum specialist is located here in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.