Have your child use their tongue or their hands to gently grip the loose tooth and try to wiggle it back and forth. If they’re able to move the tooth easily, then it may be ready to be pulled. If the tooth doesn’t move easily, trying to pull it before it’s ready can cause unnecessary pain, bleeding, and infections. If the tooth does not easily move around easily, wait a few days and then try testing it again. When a tooth is ready to be pulled, the nerve will dissolve and only a small thread of gum tissue will hold the tooth in place. As your child wiggles their loose tooth, ask them if it hurts at all. If it does, then the nerve may still be attached and the tooth isn’t ready to be pulled yet.  Your child may feel some slight discomfort in their gums when they wiggle their tooth, but it shouldn’t cause them any pain if it’s ready to be pulled. You may also see a permanent tooth appearing near the loose tooth, which is totally normal. In addition to the nerve dying away, blood vessels that were attached to the tooth will dissolve as well when the tooth is ready to be removed. While your child wiggles their tooth, check their gums to see if there’s any blood. If there is, then it’s too early to try to pull the tooth.
Let your child wiggle the tooth to see if it’s ready to be pulled. Ask your child if the tooth hurts to make sure the nerve is dead. Check for bleeding around the tooth to make sure it’s safe to be pulled.