Ahhhh! A drop of blood!!

[SnowyJ, RN]

Soooooo...Multiple times a day I have students with loose teeth come in because "my tooth is bleeding." The tooth is generally very loose and the student keeps wiggling it, which results in a little blood around the tooth at the gumline. (Nothing a quick sip of water won't cure.)

Personally, I feel loose teeth should be considered normal, and not nurse worthy. But every day I see at least 4-5 students sent down because their tooth is loose.

I am left wondering if the teacher expects me to pull it? I usually just have the student get a drink and go back to class.

Anyone else have this issue?

[Flare, ASN, BSN]

i usually, somewhat tongue in cheek, remind the student that i went to nursing school, not dental school and don't pull teeth. Sometimes the superintendent's been there in my office for these visits and he plays right along "Nope - No dental school for this one - but we can get a string." The kids get the point right away, some choose to rinse their mouths quickly - most just go back to class.

[100kids, BSN, RN]

Get these all the time! I tell the kids I don't pull teeth but it they want to sit for 2 minutes and try to wiggle it out they can, after that it's back to class. Depends of course if the tooth is almost out or just a tiny bit wiggly! I find most of these are the kids who haven't lost many teeth yet and they're scared of the blood and the pain.

[SnowyJ, RN]

I think the teachers are more scared than the kids.

[kidzcare]

Pretty much the same thing here. I tell the kids I don't pull teeth and that when it does fall out, I will give them a tooth box.

[AdobeRN]

Same here - I don't pull teeth. I have them rinse with cool water and they are sent back to class with instructions to return if it falls out and they will get a treasure box.

[Farawyn]

A mom got miffed because I wouldn't attempt to fix her son's broken braces last week. I said if I knew how to be an Orthodontist, do you think I'd be getting paid as a SN?

[NanaPoo]

We have a 1st grade teacher that loves to pull teeth and actually keeps count of how many she pulls each year. So, I say, "if you want it pulled, go see Mrs. D."

Mrs. D actually gets mad if she thinks I've pulled a tooth so that gives me an excuse not to pull but I will also give a tooth necklace to any kid that shows me a tooth they've pulled themselves.

[tining, BSN, RN]

I tell them to "twist and pull" - "It will continue to bleed until it come out" - "I don't pull teeth - I might pull the wrong one"

[SnugglePuggle, MSN, RN]

We have a 1st grade teacher that loves to pull teeth and actually keeps count of how many she pulls each year. So, I say, "if you want it pulled, go see Mrs. D."

Mrs. D actually gets mad if she thinks I've pulled a tooth so that gives me an excuse not to pull but I will also give a tooth necklace to any kid that shows me a tooth they've pulled themselves.

As silly as it may be, you might want to forward the following to that teacher:

Oklahoma dental board investigating Tulsa private school's 'Tooth Fairy' - Tulsa World: Homepagelatest

[Farawyn]

As silly as it may be, you might want to forward the following to that teacher:

Oklahoma dental board investigating Tulsa private school's 'Tooth Fairy' - Tulsa World: Homepagelatest

Good Lord.

[SnowyJ, RN]

I can just imagine the feedback from the parents if I pulled loose teeth. I'd probably be in jail for assault and battery.