How to Pull Teeth in Stages

The age-old trick of tying one end of a string around a wobbly tooth, the other around a door knob, and slamming the door shut may work for youngsters eager to receive their pocket change from the Tooth Fairy. However, pulling out a tooth, whether it be a wisdom tooth or one experiencing decay, can be done safely in stages (preparation, anesthesia, extraction, post-extraction) by an oral surgeon. In the case that a child's primary tooth is ready to fall out, this procedure can also be performed at home.

Things You'll Need

• Topical anesthetic
• Piece of tissue

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Instructions

Preparation

• 1

  Gently wiggle the tooth to make sure it is loose in the case of pulling a child's baby teeth.

• 2

  Tell your oral surgeon or dentist about your dental and medical history if an adult tooth needs to be extracted.

• 3

  The dentist uses X-rays to have a complete view of his patient's mouth.

  Bite down on a small plastic device as he will perform an X-ray on the area to determine the best way to remove the tooth. The extraction will either be a simple one, if the tooth can be seen in the mouth, or surgical if the tooth has not fully come in yet or has broken off at the gum line.

• 4

  Wear comfortable, short-sleeved clothing as you may receive an intravenous anesthesia to prepare you for the surgical extraction.

Anesthesia

• 5

  Put a topical anesthetic around the loose tooth to numb the area if you are extracting a child's wobbly tooth. Wait a few minutes.

• 6

  Be still as a general dentist injects the area with a local anesthetic. She also may administer anti-anxiety drugs.

• 7

  Take a deep breath as the surgeon either injects a local anesthetic on the area or consciously sedates you through IV as is oftentimes the case in a surgical extraction.

Extraction

• 8

  Grab the tooth firmly with a piece of tissue or gauze and twist to remove it if you are removing a child's loose primary tooth at home.

• 9

  Concentrate on your breathing as the dentist prepares to perform the procedure. The dentist usually uses forceps, an instrument resembling pincers, to grasp the tooth and loosen it with the back and forth motion of the tool. The tooth is thus extracted.

• 10

  Bite down on the gauze the dentist puts on the extraction site after the procedure. This will help ensure blood clot formation.

• 11

  Wrap ice in a piece of cloth and apply unto the swollen area (swelling of the face often occurs after the extraction) for 10 minutes at a time. Take painkillers as prescribed by your dentist once you are at home.

• 12

  Mix 1 teaspoon salt in 8 ounces of water. Rinse your mouth with this solution 24 hours after the procedure several times a day to relieve pain and reduce swelling. Right after pulling a child's primary tooth, rinse his mouth with this solution.