Preparing for the Tooth Fairy
Losing a tooth can be an exciting but scary time in a child’s life. Children start losing teeth around age 6, with the last ones falling out by age 13, and it’s important that parents feel prepared when the first milestone arrives.
If you notice a loose baby tooth, hold the tooth firmly with a piece of gauze or tissue and give it a quick twist. If it doesn’t come out, wait a few days until it becomes looser and try again. It’s OK to let your child wiggle the loose tooth gently to help, but if there’s pain or if the tooth hasn’t fallen out after a few days, you may want to reach out to your dentist.
Minimal bleeding after losing a tooth is normal—just give your child water to rinse with. The mouth will heal on its own, but you can also hold a clean piece of gauze to the area to help.
That evening, make sure your child places the tooth under the pillow for the Tooth Fairy to find. Then, brush those remaining teeth and snuggle in for a good bedtime story. If you forget to grab the tooth, remind your child that the Tooth Fairy is very busy and can’t get to every child’s house in one night. Then make sure to grab it the next night!
This information is available for download as an oral health flyer.
All facts and tips from Delta Dental’s “From Drool to School” oral health book.