Your child can use their tongue or their fingers to wiggle the tooth, or you can wiggle it yourself. Just make sure you or your child wash your hands thoroughly if you use your fingers. Pulling out a tooth before it’s ready can be painful for your child and it can damage their gums. [2] X Research source It might also cause your child’s permanent teeth to be crooked when they grow in. [3] X Research source

Brushing and flossing can also help the tooth loosen more. Just be gentle, because the gum might be tender in that area. You can also give your child foods that are hard to chew, like apples and cucumbers, to help naturally loosen the tooth.

Make sure to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before you put your fingers in your child’s mouth. You can also wear a pair of rubber gloves to help you get a better grip on the tooth.

If the tooth doesn’t come out easily, it isn’t ready yet. Try again in a few days. Work quickly—the faster you pull the tooth, the less it will hurt.

In most cases, your child will be able to remove the tooth on their own just by playing with it. [10] X Research source

Simply rub a dab of the ointment onto your child’s gums and wait a few minutes for it to take effect, then pull the tooth.

If you use ice cubes, remind your child not to chew on them, as that could damage their teeth.

Do not tie the floss to a doorknob. If the tooth isn’t ready, this approach can cause your child a lot of pain and bleeding. [14] X Research source

If the bleeding doesn’t stop after 15 minutes, call your child’s dentist.

This likely means that there is a slight tear in the gum—the dentist will likely treat it much the same way they would treat a patient after a tooth extraction. However, they may also check to make sure there isn’t something else going on, like a bit of tooth fragment left behind in the socket.

Fragments usually occur if a tooth falls out after an injury, rather than when you pull a loose tooth. However, if you pull the tooth before it’s ready, sometimes the roots can remain. [19] X Research source If your child has pain or swelling in the days after the tooth was removed, a piece of the root may have broken off. [20] X Research source

If the permanent tooth is completely out and the baby tooth isn’t loose yet, you’ll probably need to take your child to the dentist for an extraction.

You’ll also need to see the dentist if the permanent teeth have completely erupted but the baby teeth haven’t started to loosen yet.