The tooth fairy comes whenever a child loses a baby tooth, as long as that child puts the lost tooth under his or her pillow. The next morning the child will wake up to find money in place of the lost tooth. When parents see their children losing teeth it's a good indicator that it's time to visit the dentist. Generally by age 7 it's possible to tell if future orthodontic problems may occur and it is easier to prevent these problems at age 7 than to fix them later.

       The tooth fairy will generally visit children between the age of 6 to 12, since these are the years most common for a children to lose their teeth. A baby tooth will eventually fall out but that does not mean it's anot important and therefore don't need to be cared for. The baby teeth act as placeholders for adult teeth, if a tooth is lost prematurely it could cause orthodontic problems later. In other cases, a baby tooth extraction is needed, rather than letting it fall out on its own. The tooth extraction decision is based on a knowledge of normal baby tooth development.

       While the tooth fairy will come and exchange money for a baby tooth, a permanent tooth will garner no such reward. But just because an adult tooth is knocked out doesn't mean it can't be saved. There are a number of things you can do to help save an adult tooth that has been knocked out. Pick it up carefully by its crown, not by the root. Rinse it quickly with milk and make sure the root is clean. Place the avulsed tooth back into its socket and get to an emergency dentist immediately, time is a critical part of saving the tooth.

       The tooth fairy can really help kids feel OK about losing their teeth and even help them learn more about the value of money. If you would like to learn more about tooth loss in children, consider visiting the Atlanta Dental Group PC. Our dentists are dedicated to their patients' good health and well being and you are more than welcome to join our family of patients. If you would like schedule an appointment with our Atlanta dentist, Dr. Mark Allan Padolsky, or you need to come in for a dental emergency, please call us at 404-874-7428.