Are you worried about your five-year-old losing teeth? Children losing teeth is an important part of their growth. They get their permanent teeth instead of their milk teeth. It is a time when children have to be educated about oral health and hygiene. We have all gone through that phase while growing up. But, there are certain doubts and worries for parents that come with children losing teeth. One of the most common worries is that your child is losing teeth earlier than 6 years or if it is delayed. So, what do you need to do as a parent when your 5-year-old comes to you with a wiggly milk tooth and complains about it.
What Parents Need to Know?
Here are some facts that can demystify some of the concerns that parents have about children losing teeth:
- Milk teeth or primary teeth start to appear Milk teeth or primary teeth start to appear as pearly white bumps from 6 months of age.
- These teeth help to maintain enough space on the jaw for the original set of teeth that comes when the child grows up. This is why children lose their teeth one by one as they come from the age of 6 to13.
- A child can have around 20 milk teeth.
- The new adult set of teeth comes in between 6 to 23 years of age throughout the lifetime.
- Parents have to take care of the milk teeth just like they take care of the permanent set of teeth.
- Although the popular age of children losing teeth is from 6 to 13, children can start losing teeth as early as 4 years of age. So, losing your 5 year old teeth is not so uncommon.
- The sequence in which children lose teeth is usually the same as they come. Children lose their teeth in front first and tend to lose the teeth in the back or molar last.
- When a child loses a tooth, make them gargle with warm water and use gauze if necessary.
Do You Need To Worry About Your 5 Year Old Losing teeth?
Every child is different and there is nothing unusual about your 5-year-old losing teeth. But, there are some things that you have to take notice of. You can take the advice of our dental health professional if you have any doubts.
- Go to a dentist if your child loses a tooth in an accident and make sure that there are no other issues. Also, take notice if they complain that they are having tooth pain.
- If your 5 year old loses a tooth and the new tooth is not coming even after 6 months, you need to take the child to a dentist. You might need to use space maintainers so that the other teeth don’t grow into the space.
- If your child starts losing teeth all at once, then you definitely have to seek the help of a dentist soon.
- If a new tooth is coming without losing the milk teeth, you might have to go to a dentist to pull that out so that the teeth do not get crooked.
- Tooth decay is the most common problem around children from the age of 3 to 7. A dentist can remove the decayed parts or use fillings to restore them. It is very important to instill oral health and hygiene practices in children from a very young age. Sugary treats can cause tooth decay. Ensure that they wash their mouths after eating every time.
Talking To Your 5 Year Old About Losing Teeth
For most children, losing their teeth might be a painless and natural experience that they get used to. But, some might have problems with it too. You need to communicate with your child properly about losing teeth.
Children are curious by nature and they will come to you when their tooth starts wiggling. But, you can educate them in advance about oral hygiene and losing teeth so that they will know to come to you when it happens. You can make it an interesting experience for them.
- Losing teeth is usually painless for children. You can encourage children to wiggle and play with their teeth till it comes off.
- There are many popular childhood stories about losing teeth and you can tell them about them. You can use the popular tooth fairy myth to encourage them to notice when the tooth falls off and come to you. You can give them rewards for every tooth that they bring to you. You can also ensure that they do not swallow their teeth accidentally either.
- Most children are excited about losing their teeth. But, some children can get sad when they lose their teeth. This usually happens when they lose their teeth earlier than others. They can also feel shy and embarrassed when they smile. Make sure that your child feels positive about the experience. Tell them that they are going to get stronger teeth instead of the ones that fell off.
The Bottom Line
Childhood is the most common age when teeth problems begin and you will have to go to the dentist a lot. A 5-year-old losing tooth is common and parents do not have to worry about it. The key is to properly train your child to maintain oral hygiene. You can make losing teeth into a positive experience. Take notice of symptoms like tooth decay and pain. Always make sure that you take your child to the dentist at least twice a year to ensure that they have a healthy set of teeth.
Ravi Kumar
MDS, CONSERVATIVE DENTISTRY AND ENDODONTICS
