Kim-My DS is only 3.6 yo, but has just recently started worrying a lot about losing his baby teeth. Our neighbor said something to him one day a few weeks back about losing his teeth, and he was very upset by it. He now asks me almost every day if he's going to lose his. I say, Yes, but not for a long time. Don't know if there are any books out there on this subject. But I was relieved to know that it sounds like a fear that other kids might have.

 

My son didn't know about it ahead of time, but when he first felt a loose tooth, he had a total panic attack. He was so terrified. After a while he calmed down, and we talked for a while, stressing (a) this is something that happens as kids get bigger (i.e., you love being like the bigger kids, because he does, and this is part of that), (b) actually losing your tooth doesn't hurt (which it hasn't for him so far with two teeth lost) and (c) the new tooth is coming in right behind the one that falls out, so it's not like you have this giant hole in your moth indefinitely (which I think was a disconcerting thought, like all of them will fall out and nothing will replace them and he'll only be able to eat jello or something). He was still weirded out but was able to deal after we talked it through.

I hope someone can suggest a good book about it. I never had to look for one because the issue came up earlier than I would have guessed and I was unprepared.

Good luck--

Beth
DS(5), DD(2)

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Benjismom (c) the new tooth is coming in right behind the one that falls out, so it's not like you have this giant hole in your moth indefinitely (which I think was a disconcerting thought, like all of them will fall out and nothing will replace them and he'll only be able to eat jello or something).

Just fyi, from personal experience (not my son's -- he's way not old enough!): you never know when the grown-up teeth will come in. Of course you shouldn't go looking for trouble, but I distinctly remember missing all four front teeth for over a year, because I couldn't eat corn on the cob for two whole summers. In fact, my mom even had the dentist check when they x-rayed to make sure new teeth were coming. I didn't experience it as particularly upsetting, but since your son is already disturbed about it, I just figured I'd tell you so you can try to make sure you don't promise something you can't control.

I have no advice for anyone, but I can really understand why a kid would find the notion creepy. I worry about my teeth and have bad dreams about them falling out or getting broken. Of course it's different with baby teeth, but the feelings could still be similar. And people say children's lives are carefree! Poor kids, it's hard.

 

Ah...the things I get to look forward to later......(My DD is only 2 right now.)

But I do remember being worried about it hurting to lose a tooth (the first few were OK, but my dad never pulled another for me after taking out an eye tooth that wasn't quite "ripe" yet).

We did the tooth fairy thing too. But I am philosophically opposed to that kind of thing so I'm not sure I'll do it or not.

My mom did keep all my baby teeth in a special little box inside her jewelry box. Maybe that's kind of weird, but I always thought it was pretty cool. In fact, a couple years ago, they moved to a smaller house and brought me some things: the rocking horse my grandpa made, a bunch of '70s Barbies (ACK!), and a little box with all my baby teeth. I still have the horse and the teeth. The Barbies? Well.....no thanks.

 

Abi was worried about that, too. I started looking for kids with gaps in their teeth approaching them (like in the library or wherever) and I would say, "Look Abi, he lost a tooth!" Then turn to him and say, "Did it hurt?" and other questions. The kids are always eager to show off their teeth and tell Abi all about it. She is no longer afraid, now she's just curious and eager for her turn.

 

When I had loose teeth I was terrified to pull them out because they hurt. As a consequence, all my adult teeth grew in behind my baby teeth and I had to have braces for four years as a teenager

: At some point (I wish it had been sooner) my parents got me the Berenstain Bears Visit the Dentist which deals with both filling a cavity for Brother (the main reason for seeing the dentist) and with the dentist pulling one of Sister's baby teeth that she's nervous about pulling herself. I don't know of any other books dealing with the subject, but that one helped me quite a bit

love and peace.

 

Just a thought-maybe this should be posted (doubleposted) in the Dental forum. I haven't been there for ages, but the mod used to be Smilemomma, and she was really informative and reassuring on many dental/teeth issues.

 

After DS heard that there would be money involved he was practically pulling his teeth out. He's so into money that it's not even funny, he told me earlier "guess what I'm reading, a kid's guide to managing money"

I really don't know what I'm going to do with him :LOL