Is your child around the age of five? Then it won’t be long until their teeth begin to wiggle loose. While this is a natural part of growing into their “big kid” grin, it can still come with some feelings of concern. In short, if your little one is feeling a bit scared about the prospect of losing their baby teeth, they aren’t alone. Fortunately, there are a few ways you can make the entire experience a positive one. To learn what they are, read on!
#1. Explain the Process Fully
In an effort not to scare your child, you may be tempted to tiptoe around things. However, the key to calming their nerves is being open and honest. Otherwise, they may hear a myth on the playground, like losing your teeth is extremely painful, and believe it to be true. So, do your best to explain what they can expect using positive words and let them know you’re there to answer any questions they have.
#2. Play Up the Tooth Fairy
Mythical creatures, like the Easter Bunny, help add some magic to holidays. That’s what the Tooth Fairy does to the losing-teeth process! You can make an adventure of it by buying a special pillow for their tooth, writing a fun note, or sharing tooth fairy myths from around the world. Each of these will help your child look forward to the experience, not dread it.
#3. Make Each Lost Tooth a Celebration
As an adult, you know that each lost tooth is a step closer to your child’s permanent smile. Help your little one look forward to the transformation by sharing your enthusiasm! Telling them how proud you are, taking them to a movie, or letting them stay a bit longer at the park are all great ways to make the actual event of losing one of their teeth a positive one.
#4. Know When to Call for Help
Typically, children begin losing their teeth between five and seven years of age. While this is completely natural, delayed tooth loss or a knocked-out tooth from a sporting incident is not. In both of these cases, you should get in touch with their pediatric dentist. From there, they can examine their teeth, supporting tissue, and jaw to determine what the next best steps are.
If you lost one of your teeth, it’s safe to say you’d feel scared. So, it’s easy to see why your child feels the same way. The good news is that you can alleviate their concerns and make the experience a positive one with the above tips!
About the Practice
Our team of smile enthusiasts at Simply Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics is proud to help children of all ages on their journey to their big-kid smile! We know the process can be concerning for both kids and parents alike, which is why we go above and beyond to make the entire process as stress-free as possible. If you have any questions about helping your child during the transition or need to schedule an appointment, don’t hesitate to visit our website or call 603-880-5002.