We very often receive calls from worried parents who have discovered that one or two additional teeth have appeared behind the lower primary incisors, as is usually the case. This happens around the age of 6, or shortly before or after.
No cause for concern
This is very common in children of this age while their incisors are changing, particularly the lower central and lateral incisors.
What you can do:
1. Wiggle it
Ask your child to wiggle the primary tooth as much as possible so that it comes out.
2. Visit the paediatric dentist
Very often, however, the primary tooth is not loose enough and needs help from the paediatric dentist. We apply a little topical anaesthetic and, if necessary, a small amount of local anaesthetic, and the old tooth has already met its “tooth fairy”! A nice ice cream can also help with local haemostasis while extending the anaesthetic effect for a little longer.
3. Be patient
Once the space has been freed, the new tooth will soon move forwards on its own.
