Should I pluck out this loose tooth?

Question

my 6 yro daughter has two loose front teeth.. should they be

plucked out or just wait until they fall out of their own? I'm worried

she might swallow them in her sleep..

Patrick

Answer 1

You should encourage your daughter to pull it out herself. Only your she knows for sure how attached the tooth is and how much discomfort she can stand.

If you poke your fingers into your child's mouth, you may injure her. Instead, have your child wiggle her tooth with her finger or push it around with her tongue. There should be very little bleeding when a really loose tooth comes out, but if your child's gums do start to bleed, pack them with a piece of wet gauze and hold pressure on them for a few minutes (or until the bleeding stops).

If the tooth comes out unexpectedly, your child may swallow it, but she won't choke on it. Other than disappointing the tooth fairy, swallowing a tooth won't cause any harm.