Damaged milk tooth

[Jilljams]

My two year old fell and hurt his tooth at nursery. We saw the dentist after it happened and she made an appointment for him to get it pulled out. It’s the front tooth and she said because it was very wobbly then it must come out. It has since turned quite grey so I guess that means it’s dead. In preparation for the anesthetic we had to get a certificate from his doctor, although this doctor has given it to us he said in his opinion he would
leave the tooth in and no need to pull it out. So not I’m confused about what to do. Has anyone else experience of this? I should add we are not in the UK so I’d be interested to know what a UK dentist might do. I’m happy for him to have it removed if it’s for the best but also don’t want to do it needlessly.

I don't think it would be removed. It would look unsightly but it's not likely to be harmful. The new tooth should come through as normal.

Has it become solid again? Dd has this, she is now 4 and it happened when she was 2. It looks bad and gets darker and darker but the dentist said to leave it in as it is safer. It was wobbly for a few days but then became firmly fixed in again though at a slightly different angle. I think if it stays wobbly it will probably need to come out though.

I had a grey tooth as a child. No drama.

My daughter bashed her front teeth in, 5 years old. They prevented her talking and eating properly, they were at 45 degrees and painful. She wouldn't let the dentist near them so had to go to dental hospital for extraction under general. She can't talk or eat well until the adult teeth come through.

So on balance if your child is not in pain and the tooth isn't wobbly or causing infection, I'd leave it there.

It’s not painful and the gum looks fine, it is slightly wobbly though.

Tbh most dentists are only doing emergency treatments ie getting people out of severe pain for the foreseeable future

So if it’s not painful or infected. Best to leave
It will come out anyway as it’s a baby tooth

My DS2 bashed his front teeth at a similar age. One is dead and discoloured but will stay there until it gets wobbly, as it is providing the spacing for the adult teeth. Most dentists in the U.K. would leave it alone, I think.

DS2 fell on his teeth on a tiled floor in Menorca when he was three. The two upper front teeth went grey and were left in place until they fell out naturally several years later. They weren't loose though as far as I can remember.
All his childhood photos show him trying to smile with his mouth shut. It was worrying, but he's almost 15 now and has lovely white straight second teeth.

You are best off leaving it in. If you remove it there is a chance the adult teeth will grow in crooked.

My 6 year old did this when he was about 2. They left the tooth in and it's grey but it got solid again and is now wobbly as the adult tooth is coming through. I'm surprised the dentist wants to pull!

My daughter’s tooth went grey when she was 4 and fell over. She’s 5.5 and it’s fine, just slightly grey. Dentist said it’s best to leave it until it falls out. The dentist said he would only remove it if there was pain or if the gum becomes infected which is more likely to happen when you have a dead tooth.

Thanks for all your replies. I’ve decided to cancel the appointment and to wait and see what happens. Of course if there is any sign of infection I’ll take him straight to the dentist.

I had this as a child, it was left in and the adult tooth had to move around it.

When I finally had the baby tooth out the adult tooth came down crooked. It required significant braces to correct.

Please follow the advise from your dentist and take it out

Don’t pull it! The gap will start to close and its an anaesthetic for nothing. Loads of kids have this. Never known them be pulled. Change dentist!