My kid is a hardcore “slow wiggle” fan, too—no apples, no carrots, just endless fiddling with her tooth until it finally gives up. I actually tried to get her to do the frozen washcloth thing once, but she looked at me like I was suggesting we pull it out with pliers. Guess not every trick is for every kid, right?
I’ve wondered about the dentist thing, too. I asked ours last time we went and she basically said as long as the tooth is super loose and the kid isn’t in pain, there’s no harm in nudging it along with wiggling or crunchy snacks. But she did warn against tying it to a doorknob (which apparently is still a thing?) or yanking too early, since that can leave bits behind or cause more bleeding.
Honestly, I think half the “tricks” are just ways to make the process less scary. If biting an apple makes it more fun, go for it. If not, slow wiggling seems just as effective... eventually.
I’ll admit, I’ve never understood the appeal of the slow wiggle. My youngest was all about “let’s get this over with”—one good chomp on a crusty baguette and out it came, usually mid-dinner. Maybe it’s just personality? I do think there’s something to be said for letting kids take the lead, but sometimes that endless wiggling drives me nuts. There’s only so much tooth talk I can handle at the dinner table.
About the dentist advice—ours actually recommended against crunchy snacks when the tooth is super loose, mostly because of the risk of swallowing it. She swears by gentle wiggling and distraction (she’s got a whole routine involving silly songs). The doorknob thing makes me cringe, too... feels like a cartoon from the ‘80s, not real life.
I guess every kid finds their own weird ritual. For some, it’s apples; for others, it’s weeks of subtle sabotage with their tongue. Either way, the tooth fairy always seems to show up eventually.
Honestly, I was always the slow wiggler as a kid—drove my parents nuts. I’d nudge a loose tooth with my tongue for days, just waiting for it to fall out on its own. Now that I’ve had braces, I get why dentists say to avoid crunchy stuff. Once, I bit into an apple and the tooth popped out so fast I nearly swallowed it. Gentle wiggling worked better for me, less drama and no panic at dinner. Kids really do have their own pace... sometimes you just have to let it play out, even if it’s a little gross at the table.
I was the opposite—my mom was always convinced I’d rip a tooth out too soon. I remember using the “string tied to the doorknob” trick once because my cousin swore by it. Let’s just say it was more dramatic than effective... and there was a lot of yelling. Looking back, gentle wiggling probably would’ve saved me some tears (and a lecture from my dentist). Funny how every family seems to have their own weird method for this stuff.
Let’s just say it was more dramatic than effective... and there was a lot of yelling.
That string-and-doorknob trick makes me nervous just thinking about it. My family was all about “just let it fall out on its own,” which honestly gave me way more anxiety waiting for it to happen. I still cringe when I hear about those DIY methods—sometimes slow and steady really is the way to go.
