While a loose tooth is common in children, it can also cause concern among adults. Anything from poor oral hygiene, advanced gum disease, grinding on teeth, chewing on hard food, or an injury to the mouth can damage your tooth and loosen it. While it is always preferable to save a tooth, pulling out a cracked, infected, or diseased tooth will help protect your other teeth. Visit your dentist if your loose tooth causes severe pain and needs to be pulled out immediately.
Here are a few tips to help you pull out your loose tooth painlessly.
1. Keep Wiggling
Wiggle the tooth back and forth with your clean hands or tongue, as it will help loosen it and fall out on its own.
2. Brush and Floss Vigorously
Strenuous brushing and flossing will help remove a loose tooth without pain. Brushing in an up-and-down motion that rubs each side of the loose tooth will make it fall out. Curving the floss around the bottom of the loose tooth will also cause it to fall out.
3. Wet Wash Cloth/Gauze
Make use of a cold, wet washcloth or medical gauze to grip and remove a loose tooth. If you think the tooth is not loose enough to come out painlessly, slightly wiggle it while holding it with a gauze or wet cloth. This will help the loose tooth come out quickly and stop the bleeding if any.
4. Twist and Pull Gently
If you find that your tooth is still hanging despite all the wiggling, give it a gentle but firm twist, and then pull it out. Make sure you use clean fingers or gauze for twisting and pulling the tooth.
5. Visit Your Dentist
If your loose tooth is not coming out easily and causing problems such as severe pain or discomfort, visit your dentist to get it removed.
Pulling a loose tooth before it is ready to come out on its own can break the root, leaving the gap prone to infection and plaque buildup. However, if your tooth is loose enough to pull out, follow these tips above.
If you are experiencing swelling, pain, or excessive bleeding because of a loose tooth or difficulty pulling it out on your own, contact us today to schedule an appointment.
Related Article:
Dental Hygiene: What Can You Expect at Your Appointments
What Should I Do If My Permanent Tooth Is Loose?
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FAQs
Using regular dental floss, loop a knot around the loose tooth. Slide the loop up the tooth as high as you can get it on the front and back. Pull the ends of the floss, or have your child pull if they prefer. When done right the tooth should pop out of the mouth without any pain.
How to pull out a loose tooth without pain? ›
Using regular dental floss, loop a knot around the loose tooth. Slide the loop up the tooth as high as you can get it on the front and back. Pull the ends of the floss, or have your child pull if they prefer. When done right the tooth should pop out of the mouth without any pain.
Does pulling out a really loose tooth hurt? ›
If you pull a loose adult tooth on your own, you run the risk of enduring significant pain. Furthermore, you will have a gap in your mouth that must be addressed by a dentist.
Can I pull my own tooth if it's loose? ›
When Is It OK to Pull Your Own Tooth Out? An adult tooth should last you a lifetime. You should not remove one simply because it is loose, as you would do in the case of a baby tooth.
How to make a loose tooth fall out? ›
Gentle Wiggling and Encouragement
While waiting for the tooth to come out naturally, parents can encourage their child to gently wiggle the loose tooth with clean hands or by using a tissue. This gentle wiggling can help loosen the tooth further and may speed up its natural removal.
How long does it take for a wobbly tooth to fall out? ›
This process doesn't take place on a set timeline. It could be a day or two between the first wiggle and the tooth falling out. Or, it could be weeks before the tooth in question fully dislodges. And, once the tooth falls out, it takes just as much — if not more — time for the new tooth to come in.
How to tighten a loose tooth fast? ›
Stabilizing loose teeth at home can be challenging, so seeking immediate professional attention is crucial when experiencing loose teeth. However, you can try home remedies like saltwater gargling or massaging with turmeric and black pepper to tighten loose teeth.
How much force does it take to pull a tooth? ›
Extraction forces required to extract teeth or tooth roots using the Benex® vertical extraction system vary widely and can be less than 50N or exceed 600N. On average, higher extraction forces are required to extract teeth with longer and thicker roots, as well as for teeth that are in functional occlusion.
Is it safe to yank out a loose tooth? ›
A loose tooth ready to come out needs little to no force to be removed. The tooth isn't ready if you think you need pliers or string. Pulling a tooth out with force can do a lot of damage to the gums, roots, and even the jawbone. Please, don't do it.
Is it OK to wiggle a loose tooth? ›
Let Your Child Wiggle the Tooth
There is nothing wrong with allowing your child to gently play with a loose tooth on their own.
To ease toothache quickly, a person can rinse their mouth using salt water or hydrogen peroxide. They can then apply OTC topical medications or clove oil to numb the affected area and use an ice pack. A person should always consult a dentist if tooth pain persists, regardless of the severity of the pain.
Will a very loose tooth eventually fall out? ›
In most cases, loose teeth will naturally fall out without causing any pain. However, there are situations where it may be necessary to extract a luxated tooth.
Will a loose tooth eventually tighten back up? ›
Do Loose Teeth Tighten Back Up? Yes, they can, but it depends on why your teeth are loose. For example, if you have very advanced osteoporosis or sustain a severe injury to your mouth, there's very little chance that your teeth will tighten back up on their own.
Should you yank a loose tooth? ›
Parents are uncertain whether to help the shedding process or let nature take its course. It is imperative not to force the removal of a childs loose tooth. Avoid removing a childs loose tooth prematurely; it is best if it comes out on its own. This article provides information about pulling a loose tooth.
Will a loose tooth fall out on its own? ›
In most cases, loose teeth will naturally fall out without causing any pain. However, there are situations where it may be necessary to extract a luxated tooth.
What to do if a permanent tooth is loose? ›
If you notice that your teeth are becoming loose or are starting to wiggle, it is important to see a dentist right away. This could be a sign of gum disease or an underlying dental condition.
Can you push a loose tooth back in? ›
Often, when a person experiences a loose tooth that seems to be falling out, they will try to push it back in: for a while, that may work, but that doesn't mean that the tooth is magically going to tighten up again in the socket.
