Of course, it is important for your child’s temporary teeth to eventually be removed—but it is also very important for them to come out at the right time. In fact, baby teeth are extremely important to your child’s development. For example, baby teeth:
- Keep space open for permanent teeth
- Support good nutrition because children will sometimes reject food when it is too hard to chew
- Support facial structure
- Help children learn to speak clearly
Naturally, these needs outlive their usefulness when adult teeth come in, which usually stays when a child is about six years old. Sometimes, your child’s baby teeth will fall out on their own, but on other occasions, a parent or dentist may need to intervene. However, if you have to pull a tooth out, please be careful. When your child’s tooth starts getting lose, their adult tooth is growing. This means that the roots of the primary tooth are being reabsorbed, leaving it without roots. That means that once the adult tooth is ready to erupt, only a little tissue will be holding the baby tooth in place. When this happens, pulling your little one’s tooth is usually painless.  However, if pull too hard or too early, the root might not be gone yet. Pulling while the root is still intact can cause discomfort.
Do you have more questions about caring for—or removing—your child’s baby tooth? If so, please feel free to contact us today. We’re excited to hear from you soon.