What To When Our Kids Have A Loose Tooth

Don’t worry, kids are prone to losing their teeth! It’s part of their growing up.

Before we panic and wonder why our kids are losing a tooth or two, breathe and relax: it’s developmentally normal. Our kids lose their teeth because their food vocabulary is getting bigger and some of those foods need stronger teeth. The teeth they have now, or what we call “baby teeth” or “milk teeth,” aren’t strong enough because they have shorter roots and are smaller — not really something useful to break down big kid food.

So what can we do when our kids have a loose tooth? Here’s what to do!

1. Don’t just yank it!

There will always be a part of us that will want to immediately fix our kids’ problems. But resist the urge especially if our kids have a loose tooth that’s discouraging them from eating. Yanking it might not just make a big wound but we might end up damaging the nerves there too. These things fall off naturally so, letting our kids flick the tooth back and forth with their tongue is okay.

2. If they swallow it, don’t panic! It won’t kill them.

It’s highly common for kids to swallow their loose teeth by accident. But it’s nothing to worry about! Stomach acids have a pH of 1.5 to 3.5, meaning they’re so acidic that they can melt or corrode metal. Teeth are made of calcium which easily dissolves in acid. So, in a way, they get extra calcium.

3. Keep your kids’ hands occupied.

Especially for the fidgety and restless kid, they will like to wiggle and play with their loose tooth like it’s a toy. It’s fine if they just use their tongue for that but, it’s not when they use their hands which have clearly touched everything — from newly washed socks to the dirt found on star and escalator handles. Give them a sensory toy to play with to keep their hands away. But if they insist, wash their hands and wipe them down. Our kid’s loose tooth when it falls out will be an open wound and that must be kept clean!

4. Cold treats make the itching less.

The irritating part about loose teeth is that our kids can feel if these are just hanging by a single thread from their gums. So there are times that it makes their mouth feel itchy, discouraging them from eating. What some parents do is make fruit popsicles — not only is it cold to numb the itch but it’s naturally sweet and healthy too.

5. When it bleeds, have the kids gargle water.

Once the tooth pops, they’ll have a gap which may bleed a bit. To prevent the bathroom or wherever our kids’ tooth fell out from turning into a murder scene from our favorite crime thriller, have them swirl water in their mouths. Gargle cold water at least 3-4 times and eventually, the bleeding will stop. The cold from the water will cause the blood vessels to tighten, reducing the bleeding.

Our kids’ loose teeth are a sign of them growing up!

As we raise our kids, we witness a lot of milestones. But not all of them are our kids learning some new skill. Sometimes, it can be as strange and morbid as losing teeth. It’s completely normal; if they didn’t lose their teeth, they’ll have a harder time eating the “big kid” food which we want them to learn how to do eventually. Our kids’ losing a tooth is just like them getting a tiny scrape on their knees. The most important part is to make sure the gap where the tooth once was is clean.

Besides, the kids are pretty happy about losing a tooth or two. It means they get a visit from the Tooth Fairy — which, we know is us but we won’t tell them that.

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