Whether your child has a slightly loose tooth or their baby teeth are falling out too slowly, it’s tempting to want to remove baby teeth yourself. After all, they’re only temporary! But unless you’re a dentist, you shouldn’t even think about it. Extracting teeth without proper training or tools is not only painful for your child, but it can cause lifelong dental issues for them.
Why Baby Teeth Would Be Extracted
Baby teeth usually all fall out on their own, and every child’s teeth fall out at a different rate. However, if a child’s tooth is decaying due to an untreated cavity, is fractured, or is crowding their mouth, it may be time to get it extracted. If a tooth is slightly loose and isn’t bothering them, you should just wait until it falls out on its own. Pulling it out yourself can be very painful for your child and can damage their gums.
Why You Shouldn’t Extract Baby Teeth Yourself
Even if your child is afraid of the dentist, don’t be tempted to extract a tooth yourself. Remember that if the tooth isn’t loose or already falling out, it’s rooted down deeply in the gums and requires an expert to carefully pull out. Doing it yourself can make way for very painful infections. It even impact how their adult teeth come in. Keep in mind that a tooth extraction is a surgical procedure. If you needed surgery on any part of your body, would you want someone who isn’t a surgeon to perform it?
Professional Tooth Extraction Process
Depending on the type of extraction required and your child’s comfort level, the extraction will either involve numbing with a local anesthetic or administering nitrous oxide (also known as laughing gas) to temporarily sedate your child. Your child may be nervous about the procedure. It’s important to let them know that it is completely painless and they won’t feel a thing at all!
Post-Extraction Process
After the extraction, your child will have gauze placed over the extraction site to help stop the bleeding. Change out the gauze every 20 minutes until the bleeding stops completely. If your child experiences any swelling, ice their cheeks for about 20 minutes at a time. You can also give them a painkiller to soothe any soreness.
For a few days after the procedure, your child should not spit or drink from straws. This allows for time for the blood clot over the extraction site heal. They should also avoid brushing over the extraction site until it fully heals. Let them know that they will be healed and feeling back to normal in no time!
At Jones Creek Family Dentistry, we are here for all your child’s dental care needs, including professional extractions. Contact us and set up a consultation!
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