The Ultimate Loose Tooth Quiz
Estimated Completion Time 3 min
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Image: Jonathan Kirn/Photographer's Choice/Getty Images
About This Quiz
Losing baby teeth is a classic childhood rite of passage. Reminisce about the days of gap-toothed smiles and finding money under your pillow while learning more about baby teeth as you take this quiz.
START QUIZ
At what age do most kids start losing their baby teeth?
There’s no hard-and-fast rule, but most kids start losing teeth by age six and keep losing until age 12 or so.
By what age do most of us have all of our baby teeth?
Again, the exact age many vary, but on average, we have all of our baby teeth by age three.
How many baby teeth are considered a full set?
A full set for a three-year-old means twenty teeth; adults have 32 teeth (including wisdom teeth).
In what order do we start losing our baby teeth?
The first teeth to come in are the first teeth to come out.
The last teeth to come in are the first teeth to come out.
Most babies get their two bottom permanent teeth first, so those are usually the first teeth to fall out.
Does it matter if a baby loses a tooth early?
Yes. Losing a tooth early could cause spacing problems for permanent teeth.
No. Because we lose them anyway, it’s not a big deal to lose a tooth early.
Yes. Losing a tooth early makes the other teeth come out earlier, too.
Losing a tooth early due to an accident or tooth decay can make the other baby teeth move around and not leave enough room for adult teeth.
Why is it best to let baby teeth fall out by themselves?
It's less painful to the child than pulling them.
There's usually less blood and less risk of infection.
Generally, baby teeth come out exactly when they're supposed to-- but that doesn’t keep us from wanting to pull them.
Is it dangerous if your child swallows a loose tooth?
No. A lost tooth will pass harmlessly through your child's body.
Yes. A lost tooth can make your child sick.
Yes. A lost tooth can cause internal damage.
Although it means a loss for the Tooth Fairy, swallowing a tooth won’t cause any problems for your child.
Who's the best person to pull your child’s baby tooth?
Unless it’s causing problems and a dentist needs to pull it, your child is the best person to pull a baby tooth because only he or she knows how loose (and how potentially painful) it is.
What tools should you use to pull a loose baby tooth?
your fingers and some gauze or tissue
some pliers from the toolbox
a string to tie the tooth to a doorknob
Gauze or tissue helps to grasp the tooth, while fingers are the safest pulling tool.
Which foods are helpful for getting a tooth out painlessly?
crunchy foods like apples
hard, frozen foods like ice pops
Sometimes you can help remove a loose baby tooth by having your child bite into something crunchy or hard. A frozen ice pop can also dull any pain.
When's the best time to pull a loose tooth?
as soon as it starts to wiggle
when it’s hanging on by just a tiny thread
when you see the permanent tooth starting to come in behind it
It's tempting to pull as soon as you see a tooth wiggle, but it’s better to wait until it's barely hanging on to avoid pain (and blood).
What happens if a baby tooth refuses to come out?
You just wait until it finally falls out.
Go to the dentist and have it checked out to be on the safe side.
Keep working on it until you finally get it to come out.
Sometimes, baby teeth don’t want to leave, so your child’s dentist may want to pull them once the permanent teeth erupt.
What is it called when children get permanent teeth while still having their baby teeth?
Sharks have multiple rows of teeth, so sometimes having both permanent teeth and baby teeth at the same time is called having "shark teeth."
When did the myth of the Tooth Fairy originate?
The image of a good fairy who exchanged money (or other gifts) for baby teeth appears to have begun in the United States in the early 1900s.
Why did ancient Europeans sometimes bury baby teeth?
They were afraid of witches getting them.
They thought that they represented part of their children’s souls.
They were worried about them rotting.
Ancient Europeans often buried or otherwise disposed of baby teeth out of concern that witches could use them to cast curses or spells.
How much does the Tooth Fairy usually leave for a tooth these days?
Most children get a dollar or two per tooth, although the first one sometimes brings a higher price.
Why do children in some Asian countries throw baby teeth on the roof while asking for a mouse's tooth to grow in its place?
Mice teeth are stronger than human teeth.
Mice teeth are whiter than human teeth.
Mice teeth grow for their entire lives.
A mouse’s tooth might be preferable since it grows for a lifetime -- although that would probably present its own set of challenges.
How often should your child brush his or her teeth?
Ideally, children should brush after each meal, but most dentists recommend brushing at least twice a day.
Which of the following is NOT an alternative name for baby teeth?
Baby teeth are also called deciduous, milk, fall, reborner, temporary or primary.
How soon can children get tooth decay?
By the time all of their baby tooth are in, so around age three.
As soon as they get teeth.
Children don't get decay in baby teeth.
Babies as young as six months can develop what's known as "baby bottle tooth decay" due to drinking milk, juice or other sugary liquids for long periods of time.
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