
{"id":5923,"date":"2021-10-27T20:33:46","date_gmt":"2021-10-27T20:33:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/littlemedsch.wpengine.com\/ottawa\/?p=5923"},"modified":"2022-04-18T14:22:56","modified_gmt":"2022-04-18T14:22:56","slug":"why-do-i-have-a-loose-tooth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/littlemedicalschool.com\/ottawa\/blog\/why-do-i-have-a-loose-tooth\/","title":{"rendered":"Why do I have a loose tooth?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: right;\">Author: Layal Bou Abdo, MSN<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\">Illustrator: Angeline Boswell<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\">27\/10\/2021<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">My daughter Kai has two loose teeth. Like any life experience, her journey with a loose tooth has become a scientific learning experience.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Below is how I answered her curious questions, and in the video, you can see how she explains what she learned. Let me know in the comment box how does learning happens at your home?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Mom, why do I have a loose tooth?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">It is one of the human body&#8217;s medical wonders.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Humans are diphyodonts which basically means two sets of teeth. Many other mammals like <a href=\"https:\/\/littlemedicalschool.com\/ottawa\/blog\/dogs-strange-behaviours\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">dogs<\/a>, cats and horses are diphyodonts too.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Me: do you know why do we have teeth?<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Kai: to eat, talk, and smile<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Me: Exactly, they help us chew our food, bite, eat, talk and make sounds. Our teeth help us maintain the shape and structure of our jaw.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">When we are born, we have 20 teeth inside our gum. These teeth start to push through and grow at the age of 6 months. It is when the baby starts teething.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">These teeth are called baby teeth or milk teeth or what the dentists call\u00a0<\/span><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">deciduous<\/span><\/strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0teeth.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Baby teeth are essential to the development of the baby&#8217;s speech. They also help the baby to move from sucking on milk to eating proper meals.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Unlike our hair and nails, our teeth cannot actually grow, but the baby&#8217;s skull and jaw do. When we grow up, we need a new set of teeth to accommodate the change in our jaw sizes over time. The baby teeth start to fall out, and the adult teeth start coming in. Through childhood, we lose 20 baby teeth replaced by stronger, bigger, and longer permanent teeth.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-5927 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/littlemedicalschool.com\/ottawa\/files\/2022\/04\/20180506098-3-300x239-1.jpg\" alt=\"Why do I have a loose tooth?\" width=\"343\" height=\"273\" \/><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">When do baby teeth fall out?<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">It all depends on when the baby starts teething. The baby&#8217;s teeth start erupting at around six months of age. If the baby cuts his\/her first tooth early at 3-4 months of age, chances are high that their first permanent tooth will grow in early as well (maybe around age 4-5 years old). If the baby didn\u2019t cut his\/her first tooth until close to age 1, then don\u2019t expect permanent teeth to grow in until closer to age 7-8. The last baby tooth falls out at around 12-13 years of age.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">By age 21, your child will likely have all 32 permanent teeth erupted. The permanent teeth are called succedaneous teeth.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">How long does it take for a child\u2019s wiggly tooth to fall out?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Loose teeth take between a few days to a few months to fall. You might speed up the process by wiggling it gently every day.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">How to wiggle your tooth?\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">You can help out your tooth by pushing it with your tongue. You can also move it back and forth, from front to back, left to right and twist gently.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Mommy, do you have 20 teeth like me?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">No, adults have 32 adult teeth. As we start having a new set of teeth, 12 new teeth erupt at the back of our mouth aside from the 20 that replaced the baby teeth. These teeth are the molars usually referred to as 6-year molars, 12-year molars and wisdom teeth.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">In what order do baby teeth fall out?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">In general, baby teeth fall out in the same order they grew in. The first teeth to get loose are the bottom incisors at the center followed by the right and left bottom incisors. Usually, teeth get loose in pairs. By the age of 8 years old, the child will lose all the front teeth (incisors) top and bottom. The next set of teeth you lose is going to be the lower canines and the first set of baby molars followed by the upper canines and the second set of baby molars.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">This order might be different from a child to another especially, for the canines and the molars.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">How will the teeth fall?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Each tooth is attached to one root that attaches the tooth to the gum. Except for the molars, they have 2-3 roots. When permanent teeth start to grow, they push the baby teeth up, causing the root to weaken and shorten until it disappears. That&#8217;s why you don&#8217;t see the root when the tooth is out.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-5928 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/littlemedicalschool.com\/ottawa\/files\/2022\/04\/20180506099-3-300x287-1.jpg\" alt=\"Why do I have a loose tooth?\" width=\"300\" height=\"287\" \/>Can I pull my loose tooth?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Pulling a loose tooth before it\u2019s ready to come out on its own can break the root and cause an infection.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">When the tooth is ready to be pulled out:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0Apply ice to numb the gums.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Dry the tooth with clean tissue. The wet tooth is slippery.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Rotate the tooth in one direction, and hold for 5 seconds.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Twist the tooth in the other direction, and hold for 5 seconds. This technique will stretch the gum fibres and free the root.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">After pulling the tooth, your gum might bleed a bit. Bleeding is normal. We just need to apply clean tissue\/cotton and bite on it until the bleeding stops for about 5-10 min.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">To help with bleeding, you can rinse your mouth with warm water.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">When it&#8217;s ready to fall out, a loose tooth might teeny tiny hurt you when removed. After it falls out, your gum might be a bit painful when you touch it and might become slightly red.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Do loose teeth hurt?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">No, they don&#8217;t hurt unless you hardly bite on objects like an apple or a carrot for the incisors. For the baby molars, chewing harder or crunchier food might be more difficult. That&#8217;s why it will be better sometimes to eat on the other side or avoid the food that will cause you discomfort.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">You might also feel discomfort when brushing your loose tooth. The pain is from the gum that surrounds the tooth and not from the tooth. The discomfort might increase due to plaques&#8217; poor mouth hygiene. That&#8217;s why you should brush and floss your teeth routinely, to remove the plaque and the bacteria and prevent the pain. Be gentle, but do not forget to brush your loose teeth.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">We can always give you a pain killer if you experience pain.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-5932 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/littlemedicalschool.com\/ottawa\/files\/2022\/04\/IMG_8016-225x300-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" \/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-5933 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/littlemedicalschool.com\/ottawa\/files\/2022\/04\/IMG_8018-225x300-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" \/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-5934 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/littlemedicalschool.com\/ottawa\/files\/2022\/04\/IMG_8019-225x300-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" \/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-5935 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/littlemedicalschool.com\/ottawa\/files\/2022\/04\/IMG_8022-225x300-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" \/><\/h2>\n<h2><strong><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Did you know?<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Shark teeth happen when a permanent tooth is growing in while the baby tooth is still in place. The result is rows of teeth formed by the baby tooth forward and the adult tooth backward.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"><a href=\"https:\/\/littlemedicalschool.com\/ottawa\/blog\/why-do-elephants-have-big-ears-tusks-and-long-trunks\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Elephant<\/a>s, kangaroos, and manatees have multiple sets of teeth that grow in the back of their mouth and migrate forward as their front teeth fall out. They are polyphyodonts.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Toothed fish like sharks, alligators are known as polyphyodonts, animals that have multiple sets of replacement teeth.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"><a href=\"https:\/\/littlemedicalschool.com\/ottawa\/uncategorized\/why-do-beavers-eat-wood\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Rodents<\/a> and rabbits&#8217; incisors grow continuously, so they require regular gnawing to keep their teeth at a healthy length.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/M0zqG7dNynU\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><em>We are certain your kid asks you health (human &amp; animal) questions that genuinely leave you stumped! Leave a comment below and we are happy to answer \u201cwhy\u201d in future blogs.<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Copyright \u00a9 2021 Little Medical School Ottawa<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Author: Layal Bou Abdo, MSN Illustrator: Angeline Boswell 27\/10\/2021 &nbsp; My daughter Kai has two loose teeth. Like any life experience, her journey with a loose tooth has become a scientific learning experience.\u00a0 Below is how I answered her curious questions, and in the video, you can see how she explains what she learned. Let&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":67,"featured_media":6326,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5923","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/littlemedicalschool.com\/ottawa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5923","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/littlemedicalschool.com\/ottawa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/littlemedicalschool.com\/ottawa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/littlemedicalschool.com\/ottawa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/67"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/littlemedicalschool.com\/ottawa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5923"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/littlemedicalschool.com\/ottawa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5923\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/littlemedicalschool.com\/ottawa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6326"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/littlemedicalschool.com\/ottawa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5923"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/littlemedicalschool.com\/ottawa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5923"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/littlemedicalschool.com\/ottawa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5923"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}