Difference between revisions of "Wobbly Teeth"

Revision as of 11:57, 4 May 2013

Losing a baby tooth

This can be an exciting time to find you have a wobbly tooth, but for some children it can be quite daunting and scary.

I know when my son’s first tooth became wobbly he was terrified; the thought of having this big hole in his mouth really upset him, never mind the thought that it might hurt. Once he realised there was no pain involved he loved it, he would sit for hours playing with his tooth, wobbling it one way then the next, seeing how far forward it would go.

So when do They Start Becoming Loose?

Normally around the age of 5-6 years you would expect to see movement of teeth, but this can sometimes be as early as 4 years or as late as 7 years. They can become loose before this time, even as young at 3 years. If this happens, a dentist’s visit is recommended as they may want to fit a spacer between the teeth to prevent any movement of the adult teeth below the gum line, and to make sure they come through in the best of health. This will also be considered if an accident has occurred and they have broken or lost a tooth.

Teeth normally become wobbly and fall out in the same order they came in. The bottom front teeth are generally first, followed by the top 2 front teeth.

Encourage your child to wobble their tooth but not to pull on it. Wobbling the tooth actually helps to free it, but pulling a tooth before its ready can increase the chance of infection.

Also at around the same time, as those first adult teeth appear, your child may talk about pain in the back area of his mouth, this is probably due to their adult molars coming through. There are no baby teeth here to lose first, so general teething pain can be felt at this time along with a slight temperature. Pain relief may be advisable if appropriate to use. This is your decision.

It is quite common for a child’s adult teeth to appear before losing their milk teeth and this is known as shark teeth (it form’s two rows of teeth back to back). This is usually a temporary thing, but if you are concerned speak to your dentist.

Around the age of 12-13 their last milk teeth should be becoming loose and replaced by their permanent teeth. Also around this time they will get their last pair of molars.

--Kerryflump (talk) 10:36, 4 May 2013 (UTC)