Does My Child Need a Tooth Pulled?

Does My Child Need a Tooth Pulled?

Dental extraction is one of the most feared reasons to visit a dentist’s office. To many parents, extraction represents a worst-case scenario. Many causes of tooth extraction are preventable, although others are not. While unfortunate, it’s important to remember that, when your child’s dentist pulls a tooth, it is to benefit the overall dental health of your child.

The preventable causes of tooth extraction are related to general safety and good oral care. Sports accidents are one of the leading causes of broken and dislodged teeth. If your child is engaged in sports, particularly contact sports, it is important that he or she wears a mouthguard. Another leading cause of tooth extraction is severe decay. The best way to prevent this outcome is to make sure that your child regularly brushes, flosses and visits Dr. Jared.

However, some reasons for tooth extraction are not preventable. Sometimes, if a child’s baby teeth don’t fall out at the proper time, they can prevent adult teeth from coming in correctly. That may require removing the baby tooth. If your child needs braces, it is occasionally necessary to remove a tooth to ensure that the rest of the teeth align properly. A large number of children and adults will need to have impacted wisdom teeth removed. Finally, certain prescription drugs or medical procedures can result in changes to your child’s gums or teeth. If a child is undergoing radiation therapy, irradiated teeth may need to be removed.

Fortunately, children can be much more resilient than their parents, and losing a tooth is usually less painful and less uncomfortable for them. If your child has been especially good, you might want to consider inviting the tooth fairy over for a visit. It will certainly help blunt the sting of losing a tooth.

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