How to Pull a Baby Tooth the Right Way

Whether you like it or not, your child is growing up fast. One day, they come running up, excited to show you—they have their first loose baby tooth. Although you’ve seen viral videos of ways people have pulled baby teeth, some of those methods seem ineffective or even dangerous. You want to make sure you do it properly so that your child can have happy memories of this milestone and look forward to their other teeth becoming loose as well. Read on to learn more about how to pull a baby tooth safely.

Why You Shouldn’t Pull the Tooth Too Soon

At some point, your child’s baby teeth must come out to make room for the permanent teeth; however, you need to wait until they are ready. Baby teeth act as placeholders for their permanent counterparts and help guide them into their proper alignment. Basically, if your child’s tooth is removed prematurely, their permanent teeth could wander and come in more crooked than they would have otherwise.

How to Safely Pull a Baby Tooth

While your child’s tooth is loose, encourage them to use their tongue—not their hands—to wiggle the tooth. Little hands can introduce all kinds of harmful bacteria to the mouth; plus, their hands could easily apply too much pressure on the tooth, forcing it come out before it’s ready. When the time comes for the tooth to come out, you can make the occasion a fun, safe family activity. Here are just a couple of ways to remove a baby tooth with gentle force.

String and Doorknob

All you need is a string and door. Tie one end of the string around the doorknob and the other around the loose tooth. Then, quickly shut the door, but don’t slam it as hard as you can. The tooth should easily come out.

Doggy Treat

This method is particularly fun if you have a furry companion in your family. Tie one end of a string to the loose tooth with the other end attached to your dog’s collar. Throw a treat and allow your dog to run and get it.

What to Expect After the Tooth Comes Out

Don’t be alarmed if the gums bleed a little. Before pulling the tooth, have some gauze ready to apply to the site. Also, you may want to wet the gauze first so that it doesn’t remove the blood clot when you take away the gauze.

Ultimately, if you would like some extra help with your child’s loose teeth, you can always turn to your pediatric dentist for assistance. In addition to other removal ideas you can try at home, your children’s dentist can actually pull it if necessary and help your child get excited about the Tooth Fairy’s visit!

About Coastal Pediatric Dentistry

With years of experience and advanced training, Dr. Kristine Fu and Dr. James Forester both have a deep, genuine passion for helping children smile. After completing a postdoctoral program in Advanced Education in Pediatric Dentistry at St. Joseph’s Hospital, Dr. Forester began practicing in the San Obispo area in 2007. Dr. Fu served as chief resident during her Advanced Education in Pediatric Dentistry program at Rady Children’s Hospital. If you have questions about how to handle loose teeth, you can contact them at Coastal Pediatric Dentistry.