First tooth loss in 4.5 yr old - any dentists/dental nurses around?

[TheLadyP]

DD1 (4.5 yr) lost her first tooth today after hitting her mouth when she fell over a few weeks ago. How long (approx) is it going to take for the adult tooth to come through? Naturally the tooth fairy is one her way! Have to log off now but will check back later

[TheLadyP]

anyone?

[Blocky]

Hi - think that adult teeth tend to erupt from 5-6 years onwards. However this could occur earlier as the thing that stops it erupting is the milk tooth. Now this has gone may come sooner rather than later.

[TheLadyP]

Thanks Blocky. Found something on the web in the meantime saying that it probably won't come through until she is six or seven . Also about the circumstance in which it happened...

[Tidgypuds]

Hi Usually the front teeth will start to erupt at around 6 years bottom first then the top, saying this though all children are different and if a tooth has come out the new one may appear earlier. Which tooth is it?

[Orinoco]

Message withdrawn

[TheLadyP]

It's her top right front tooth (can't remember the proper name - incisor?). She says she can feel something hard where the tooth was but I think this may be the remains of the baby tooth?
That's good news Orinoco but this was not lost naturally grrr

[ellideb]

I do think you should take her to see her dentist because if she hit her tooth, then it fell out, it may have damaged the underlying adult tooth, also if she has a retained baby tooth then it may need extracting before it becomes abcessed. Adult teeth generally do not come through any sooner if the baby tooth has been lost due to trauma or extraction.

[duchesse]

My third lost her first a year after knocking it right back when she was 3. (the tooth fell out when she was 4). Her adult tooth came through when she over 6, so she had a gap there for a couple of years. She is now 10, and the adult tooth seems fine if a little too long. I think that may be due to the lack of anything to butt against when growing, and hope it will wear down a little as she gets older.

[ellideb]

You are right about the reason for the tooth being a little longer duchesse, it is called 'over eruption'

[TheLadyP]

Oh God now I am furious. It happened at her childminders about three weeks ago, when one of the other children was running around with the childminder's dog on a lead, tripped DD1 up and she hit her mouth on either the wall or floor, loosening the tooth. CM said 'oh well it was going to come out soon anyway' . I think I am going to look for alternative childcare because the whole thing with the dog is ridiculous. They seem to go to a local field with the dog twice a day and there are other people with dogs there, which I have become increasingly uncomfortable with. Rant over.
Ellideb, I am guessing you are a dentist? I took her to the dental A&E on Mon evening when the tooth had started to move and bleed and then to our own dentist yesterday morning. I was hoping he might be able to save it but he said that the root was dissolving (?) and that it was about to come out so there was nothing he could do. Do you think I should still take her back now that the tooth is actually out?
I'm so cross - I wouldn't have minded so much if it was an unavoidable accident in the playground but a three year old running around the house with a dog on a lead? oops still ranting.
Thanks all for your messages.

[duchesse]

Look, accidents sometimes happen while children are having fun. I know you're understandably upset about her getting hurt, but would you really prefer the CM to wrap her in cotton wool and not let her do anything? I'm sure not. My sister's little 4 yr old managed to head butt a metal park bench the other day with her front teeth, losing one tooth and damaging the other, requiring a trip to casualty in an ambulance and stitches in her gums. It was a COMPLETE accident, she tripped and fell. Her other child slightly tripped over a classmate in the playground a few months ago, fell slightly awkwardly on one arm and broke it. These things happen sometimes. It's one of hte hardest parts of having a mobile child, learning how to let them go a little and take risks in a (relatively) safe environment. She has to have accidents now at this age to learn what it is safe for her do and what not. She will heal, honest.

[ellideb]

I'm actually an ex dental nurse, now a childminder (hee hee!) sorry to hear about the problems with yours, not something I would do with my mindees, did she write it down in her accident book and get you to sign a copy because its quite a serious injury? If a dentist has looked at it then I wouldn't worry, the root dissolving only means that the body is absorbing it so nothing to wory about there. What concerns me is the seemingly blase way in which your CM handled the accident, going by what you have said.

[TheLadyP]

Duchesse, you don't seriously think that is is appropriate for a three year old child to be running around a house with a dog on a lead? I've got two kids, neither of whom I wrap in cotton wool and I know all about unavoidable accidents - she comes home with normal bumps and scrapes every day! What gets me about this is that it was completely avoidable. Yes, she will heal, but her tooth won't grow through for another two years and because the baby tooth has come out too soon, it may affect how the adult tooth grows, so it is a cause for concern.
Ellideb, you're right it is the blase attitude that gets to me and there wasn't an accident book in sight. There are other things that concern me too - this isn't just an isolated incident. Thanks for your help.

[duchesse]

Depends if it was a Great Dane size dog or a Papillon sized one. The former would obviously be potentially lethal to the children, the latter more likely to be lethal to the dog.

[RosaLuxembunting]

One of DD's came out in similar circumstances when she was two. I cried for days until I got used to how it looked. Her front teeth came through in the normal way when she was seven and they are fine.

[TheLadyP]

Rosa, thanks - glad yours had a happy ending!