"My tooth is loose"

momnurse23 · Aug 31, 2013

I get this a lot too. I usually just look at them and very excitedly exclaim " Hooray. You have a loose tooth, how wonderful. Just keep wiggling it and it will come out when it's ready" and then send them back to class. Usually me being happy about it for them relieves their fears.

RNRapunzel1029 · Aug 31, 2013

Yup I tell them it's not ready to come out yet, but if it does fall out at school to come back to my office (they like getting the treasure boxes and such) :)

dfs1961 · Sep 1, 2013

I pull out teeth all the time. I ask the student to wiggle it for me. I can usually tell at that point if I can get it out. I then give them the choice. 1. leave it alone and come back to get a tooth box once it fall out, or 2. I can pull it out but it might hurt. Usually when I say it is going to hurt they leave :) But I've got some students who can't stand the tooth in their mouth anymore and they can't eat their lunch, concentrate, etc. Usually when it is that loose it comes right out.

Nurse ABC · Sep 1, 2013

I used to hate pulling teeth too but after I had three kids it no longer bothers me. I also wondered if I'd ever get a parent mad because I pulled one but it's never happened. If it's super loose I will ask if they want me to try to pull it. If they do I only try a couple times and if it doesn't come out I tell them to keep wiggling it and wait another day. Loose teeth can be miserable! If you aren't comfortable pulling them then I would send an email to your staff letting them know it's your policy not to pull teeth and there's nothing you can do, that they need to have the parents handle it at home. A lot of teachers may not realize there really isn't anything you can do! Some may send the student for you to give a piece of gauze to let them try to pull it theirselves. Just do whatever works for you!

sfajctxnurse · Sep 9, 2013

I do not pull teeth either. They usually come in saying "my tooth hurts" not "I have a loose tooth." My first question is if it is loose. If they say yes, then I usually say that there isn't anything I can do for them at the moment. I offer to let them try to pull it in my office and if they can't get it out tell them that it isn't ready to come out yet but it will. Basically just reassuring them.

SchoolRN1 · Sep 10, 2013

I don't pull them. I speak with the kid like the first poster said and ask them to return when it falls out. We did have an issue last year where one girl was pulling her classmates' loose teeth out for them! Ha. That warranted a talk about germs, hand washing lesson, and call home to mom to let her know what was up.

Wave Watcher · Sep 11, 2013

I will let mom and dad be the judge of when the tooth should be pulled. Although, the tooth may be wiggly and loose it does not mean it is ready to come out. Pulling a tooth too early can lead to infection, possibly breaking the tooth off and having it become impacted.....so I am not going to be the cause of any dental issues. BUT we have plenty of teachers here that are more than willing to pull a tooth..... normally they don't send their kiddos to me because they know I'm not pulling anything. :-)

fetch, BSN, RN · Sep 11, 2013

I had one of these today! Came to me twice with it just being "loose" - she was scared to go to lunch but I had her try to pull it and it wouldn't budge. Sent her on to lunch and told her to be careful . . . sure enough 15 minutes later it was out!

Definitely appreciate reading everyone else's policies on will pull/won't pull. I'm so new to this that I hadn't really thought about it before today!