Why your child’s baby teeth might turn red
Author: Dr Alexandra Jones, Co-Founder and Board Chair
If you’ve ever noticed your child’s wobbly baby tooth starting to look a bit red, don’t be alarmed!
It can be a bit confronting to see colour changes in a tooth, especially when it looks like something’s bleeding inside. But it’s usually nothing to worry about. In fact, it’s a totally natural part of the way baby teeth make room for adult teeth.
Here’s what’s going on.
As baby teeth get ready to fall out, special cells under the tooth start a process called resorption. These clever little cells act like gentle recyclers, they slowly “nibble away” at the root of the baby tooth over a few months.
When the root is almost gone, the tooth above it becomes more like a thin shell. At this stage, you can sometimes see a reddish-pink colour shining through. That’s not blood inside the tooth, it’s the healthy pulpal cells and gum tissue underneath becoming more visible as the outer part of the tooth thins out.
Sometimes the tooth may even split or break apart before it falls out completely. This can look dramatic (especially to a worried parent) but it’s totally okay. It just means the tooth was so thin that it couldn’t hang on much longer.
Then, the exciting bit, the new adult tooth pushes through, taking its place in your child’s smile.
So if you see a red tinge in a wobbly baby tooth:
It’s usually a normal sign the tooth is getting ready to go.
There’s no need for treatment or panic.
Keep brushing gently and let nature do its thing.
Of course, if there’s pain, swelling, or you just want an expert pair of eyes to look at it, it’s always great to check in with your dentist.
But most of the time, this is just one of those fascinating little examples of how our bodies know exactly what to do.
At FRED, we love turning these “what’s that?!” moments into learning opportunities, helping kids (and parents) understand how amazing our mouths really are.
If you have an oral health question or topic you’d like us to explore on our blog, reach out to our team at hello@fred.org.au