While Tooth Fairy folklore adds a touch of magic to childhood, dental health is no fairy tale. For parents, understanding when a wiggly tooth is normal and when it’s a cause for concern can make all the difference in ensuring your child’s well-being. Below, our emergency children’s dentist near Fort Worth helps you distinguish between when to call the Tooth Fairy and when to seek help from Aviator Pediatric Dentistry.
What Is Normal Tooth Loss?
Baby teeth usually start falling out around age six, beginning with the lower front teeth and finishing around age 13. Most baby teeth fall out without any problems, but your child can wiggle their loose tooth gently to help it come out.
It’s normal for children to experience some discomfort when losing teeth. However, if your child seems to be having more trouble than usual, it’s worth consulting a dentist to rule out underlying issues. Regular dental checkups with our Watauga, TX, dentist can help ensure everything is progressing as it should.
Signs of a Children’s Dental Emergency
While most tooth loss situations are routine, certain signs indicate you should see our emergency children’s dentist near Fort Worth. Reach out if the loss of your child’s tooth includes:
- Severe Pain: This could signal a problem like an abscess or decay.
- Difficulty Eating: Losing a tooth shouldn’t disrupt your child’s routine.
- Excessive Bleeding: Minor bleeding is normal, but if it doesn’t stop, seek help.
What’s the Big Deal about Early Tooth Loss?
The Tooth Fairy only takes teeth that fall out naturally. By contrast, prematurely knocked-out teeth—such as from roughhousing or decay—require attention from an emergency kid’s dentist near Fort Worth. The reason? Preserving space for adult teeth.
Children lose baby teeth when their permanent teeth are ready to emerge. A tooth that’s knocked out before then won’t have an adult tooth to fill that space. That could mean that when your kid’s neighboring adult teeth come in naturally, they could crowd into the space left by the prematurely lost tooth. That, in turn, could mean your child will need orthodontic care later.
Solutions from an Emergency Children’s Dentist Near Fort Worth
If your child loses a tooth early or has unusual symptoms following a lost tooth, Aviator Pediatric Dentistry is equipped to determine what caused the tooth loss, treat bleeding, and relieve pain. Our emergency children’s dentist near Fort Worth can then start planning the best way to restore your child’s oral health.
If an adult tooth isn’t ready to come in, we can use a space maintainer to keep other teeth from shifting into the gap. If tooth decay was the culprit, we use kid-friendly language to explain how to maintain oral health. We also advise parents on the best ways to oversee children’s oral health at home. Whatever the cause, we get your child’s smile back to normal and ready for the next visit from the Tooth Fairy.
Tooth Fairy or Tooth Rescuers? We’ll Help You Decide
Aviator Pediatric Dentistry helps you recognize when to call the Tooth Fairy and when to call our emergency children’s dentist near Fort Worth. When in doubt, reach out to us. Stay informed, stay prepared, and keep those smiles healthy and bright. Contact us today for a regular appointment, or call (817) 985-7550 now.