# My baby's tooth is loose; what to expect?



## ihearteinstein (Sep 4, 2009)

I noticed this morning a little blood on Einstein's fur, near his mouth. I cleaned it and inspected him for the source of bleeding, but could find none. I got him ready to go and dropped him off at my sister's to spend the day. When I picked him up she said she noticed that one of his teeth were loose; the front bottom left fang. I confirmed this and did some research on what to expect for a maltese who is losing their baby teeth in exchange for adult teeth, but figured it would be a good idea to ask experienced maltese owners. I also want to figure out some alternatives to dry and even semi-solid wet food because he hasn't been eating as much as of this morning (I believe due to his snaggle tooth lol), and I don't want him to go hungry. Also what are some clever methods I could utilize to alleviate at least some of the discomfort he is probably experiencing? I've read about putting some of his toys in the freezer, letting him eat ice, etc. Also what are some interventions I can do to prevent infection? And what are some signs that perhaps things aren't going well, and would prompt me to seek the aid of a vet; it almost seems like he's developing double rows of teeth and I have read that this could indicate need for surgical removal of baby teeth to make room for adult ones coming in and prevent overcrowding and deformation of jaw. This is my first time on this forum, so I hope that I am doing this right! Thanks for anyone who can offer input... :heart:/Theresa

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## Harley & Dakotas Mum (Jun 11, 2005)

wiggle it! lol I know that sounds crazy, but if he isnt bothered by you touching it, and you will pretty much be able to tell if it bothers him right away, give it a helping hand! I would keep up with the dry, hard food, its an excellent source to help those little baby teeth come out! he wont go hungry, he will eat if he is hungry - I know that sounds harsh, but I dont mean it to be.


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## ihearteinstein (Sep 4, 2009)

Thanks so much for your response! Haha I actually considered doing that but didn't want to hurt him or anything. I'll give it a try if it doesn't seem to bother him to much. I think it's more funny feeling than painful for him, to be honest. He lays there and calmly lets me touch it without wincing, whining or trying to push me away. ...Oh my! Since the last post, his tooth has actually progressed from "loose" to "dangling"! 

What is a great strategy to prevent infection in the hole once it does fall out? It's a big concern of mine at this point...also, is it safe to rub some kind of "oragel" or something to numb the discomfort? Or should I just stick to iced things?
:heart: /Theresa


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## Harley & Dakotas Mum (Jun 11, 2005)

QUOTE (ihearteinstein @ Sep 4 2009, 05:49 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=825808


> Thanks so much for your response! Haha I actually considered doing that but didn't want to hurt him or anything. I'll give it a try if it doesn't seem to bother him to much. I think it's more funny feeling than painful for him, to be honest. He lays there and calmly lets me touch it without wincing, whining or trying to push me away. ...Oh my! Since the last post, his tooth has actually progressed from "loose" to "dangling"!
> 
> What is a great strategy to prevent infection in the hole once it does fall out? It's a big concern of mine at this point...also, is it safe to rub some kind of "oragel" or something to numb the discomfort? Or should I just stick to iced things?
> :heart: /Theresa[/B]


I have no medical qualifications whatsover, so I'm not really comfortable giving medical advice ... I'll only add what *I* did with mine ... that is ... nothing! Apart from giving them plenty of choices of things they could chew on, to help with teething, I didn't apply any gels or anything. I really wasnt concerned at all about infection to be honest, and neither of mine ever had a problem. The only other thing I can add is that I dont really like to give 'human' products to the pups, unless its on professional advice. I know many people do, and thats ok, its just not for me to do.


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## totallytotontuffy (May 16, 2007)

Gosh it seems like another lifetime, it was even a different residence. But I remember when one of Toto's baby teeth was very loose and he was pawing his mouth. LOL, I was hysterical and afraid to hurt him by pulling it. After a few over the phone pep talks...I did it. All was fine, he was happy. I needed a drink.


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## LUCY N PETS (Apr 21, 2009)

:Welcome 2: So glad you joined us hope you will share pictures of your baby and stories as well. Most of the time the tooth will just fall out with no intervention. But I must add that it is not safe to give your dog ice to chew on. It can cause many problems for your baby. There is a thread on here about it.


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

If you let him be, with chewing he'll get it out. I did do some wiggling with my last pup which helped get his canines out. He didn't mind at all. Playing tug is a great way to get baby teeth out. 

If he still has a double row at 6 months, your vet can pull any remaining baby teeth while he is under for his neuter. 

You can try adding warm water to his food and letting it sit and soften before you feed him. Its not unusual for the appetite to be a little off while they teeth (just like human babies).


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## lillykins (Oct 15, 2007)

goofy as this sounds, I actually pulled a couple of Lilly's baby teeth.
if one was loose and I could get my nail underneath the tooth, a simple flick and out it came.
Lilly always seemed relieved.
Plus, I knew she wouldn't swallow it and we wouldn't step on it in our bare feet!!

my best advice... rejoice that those needle-sharp puppy teeth are on their way OUT! :chili:


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## LJSquishy (Feb 27, 2008)

Allowing him to chew on rubber toys, bones (such as bully sticks or flossies), and feeding him dry kibble will all help his teeth loosen enough until they fall out. They do tend to eat a little less food when they are teething a lot, so don't worry. If you feed him only soft foods & only let him chew on soft toys, the teething process will take longer so I don't recommend that.


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## The A Team (Dec 1, 2005)

I gave Ava all kinds of things to chew on, like Sweet Potato fries, etc. - to try to get those pesky baby teefers out of there! One fell out, that I noticed.... - but eventualy had to have 10 pulled!!! Ouch! 

It's a natural thing, just like kids.


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## Deborah (Jan 8, 2006)

I would just pulled. I would not change food. I would think that wet food would get in a gap easier. Take a wash cloth tie a knot in it,wet it, freeze it once frozen it makes for a good chew. You may want to do more than one, that way you can exchange them.


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## lawgirl (Jul 22, 2009)

QUOTE (LJSquishy @ Sep 4 2009, 10:56 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=825880


> Allowing him to chew on rubber toys, bones (such as bully sticks or flossies), and feeding him dry kibble will all help his teeth loosen enough until they fall out. They do tend to eat a little less food when they are teething a lot, so don't worry. If you feed him only soft foods & only let him chew on soft toys, the teething process will take longer so I don't recommend that.[/B]


I have to tell you, my dog loves the Brazilian grass-fed cattle's bully sticks and trots around with them like prizes, and also the Premier Busy Buddy Bone--something about the 3 different chewing textures (a soft rubber, the tasty "gnawhide," and then the harder nylon surface on the ends) gets him really happy.


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## cleooscar (May 28, 2008)

Napoleon just finished teething last month. He had several loose teeth at the same time and was having a hard time eating. He lost a bit of weight as a result but had regained it since. I tried to wiggle some of the loose teeth and even pulled one that was already dangling. Mostly, I just left him alone and gave him soft toys to chew. He didn't want anything hard to chew but did enjoy eating partially frozen peas & carrots (I think it soothed his gums). Good luck!


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## camfan (Oct 30, 2006)

QUOTE (JMM @ Sep 4 2009, 09:22 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=825849


> If you let him be, with chewing he'll get it out. I did do some wiggling with my last pup which helped get his canines out. He didn't mind at all. Playing tug is a great way to get baby teeth out.
> 
> If he still has a double row at 6 months, your vet can pull any remaining baby teeth while he is under for his neuter.
> 
> You can try adding warm water to his food and letting it sit and soften before you feed him. Its not unusual for the appetite to be a little off while they teeth (just like human babies).[/B]


What she said 

It's not unusual for them to swallow their teeth, either. Just so you know. And it won't hurt them. I only found one of Ollie's on the floor...

I wet down his kibble for several weeks while he was teething.

I would also occasionally see blood on his mouth from the teething, etc. I guess it doesn't bother me b/c I have two skin kids who lose baby teeth every other week, lol.

When are you having him neutered? Ollie had his one, remaining tooth plucked out while he was under for his neuter. That's what most vets seem to do so that you can kill two birds with one stone.


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