Fun (and Not-So-Fun) Ways to Pull a Loose Tooth
Hey, friends!
Losing a tooth should be a fun, memorable experience. But some of the techniques out there to pull out those loose teeth are not exactly fun or memorable. Children start losing teeth as early as 4 years old, and the process is typically complete by age 13. That’s a good amount of time to create magical moments as a family, and we’re here to help you out.
What Not to Do:
Ditch the slamming door: Leave the string on the spool and close that door. While this technique may seem to be the classic way of pulling out a loose tooth, this strategy can actually be quite dangerous. You can easily cause injury if you slam the door too hard, potentially damaging surrounding teeth and causing intense pain even once the tooth is removed. This doesn’t sound like a memory we want to create.
Keep the pliers in the toolbox: I can’t imagine a happy childhood memory that includes a pair of rusty, dirty pliers being used to remove a tooth. If you think you need this tool to pull out your kid’s tooth, then that tooth is not yet ready to come out. Pliers can cause tissue damage, bleeding, and pain. I think we can agree to skip this idea…
Leave the hard candy wrapped: You might think that a hard piece of candy might do the trick of removing that loose tooth—but it’s more likely that the candy will do damage. Hard candy can cause baby teeth to break and can leave behind sticky residue that may lead to cavities…that certainly doesn’t sound like fun.
What to Do Instead:
Break out the toothbrush: Brushing your teeth a few times during the day can help loosen the tooth. Plus, this practice is great for overall dental health and encourages healthy habits.
Grab an apple: Crunchy fruits and vegetables are a great way to help remove that loose tooth while providing oral health benefits with each bite. If your child feels like their tooth is close to coming out, you might offer an apple, carrots, or celery to speed up the process.
Enlist the Tuggles: Of course, you can always enlist the help of the Tuggles. The Tuggles Loose Tooth Puller was designed to help kids overcome the fear of losing a tooth. These small, kid-friendly tooth pullers will help kids get excited about this coming-of-age experience.
Remember, losing a tooth is a milestone for kids. Let’s make sure our kids have a magical experience by providing encouragement during this journey.
Until next time!
Luna