Losing your first tooth is a major milestone in a kid’s life. There can be a lot of anxiety about what will happen.  Can I wiggle it? What if I swallow it? Will my new teeth hurt when they come?  These are all fairly common questions.  Handling these questions properly can go a long way to easing your child’s fears.

It is ok for kids to play with their loose tooth. Moving it around with their tongue will help loosen it even more and when it’s ready to come out naturally it will be less painful that way. You can let your child pull it out themselves as they are in a better position to know how much pain and discomfort they are willing to put up with. If it does come out naturally, there shouldn’t be any blood but if there is you can stop it by applying pressure on the area with a damp cloth.

Many times teeth will be lost when the kid doesn’t expect it. There is no worry if it accidentally gets swallowed. It will harmlessly pass through the body. If the tooth fairy visits your house, you can reassure the child that leaving a note about what happened will work just fine.

Once the new permanent teeth start coming through the teeth will be a bit darker than those white baby teeth. The new teeth will also have sharp ridges as they haven’t been worn down by chewing yet. It shouldn’t be painful but be aware of new adult teeth pushing behind baby teeth. See a dentist about potentially removing the baby teeth to clear room for the descending teeth.

Whatever happens, dentists will always tell you to teach your kids to maintain good oral hygiene even when the tooth is loose. Have them understand that this is natural but also how important teeth are so it’s best to keep their permanent adult teeth healthy when they come.