Pulling teeth, called tooth extraction by dental professionals, is not something that can be done without dental training. In most cases, it's advisable to leave the tooth alone until it falls out itself, or schedule an appointment with a dentist. In almost all cases, a dentist with a properly-trained team and special dental equipment will be better suited to remove a problem tooth than the individual at home.

Removing Teeth in Children
1. Let nature take its course. Most doctors and dentists recommend that parents not try to do anything to speed up the natural process.

2. Monitor the tooth as it gets looser. Make sure that the tooth and the surrounding gum area looks healthy and is free of decay and infection. If the tooth becomes decayed, it may need to be surgically removed in a dental office.

3. If anything, advise your child to wiggle the tooth, but only with the tongue. Not all parents choose to give their child permission to wiggle the tooth, but those who do might want to instruct their child to wiggle only with the tongue.



4. If the new tooth grows in an unexpected location, see a dentist. Permanent teeth coming in behind baby teeth, sometimes known as "sharking" because of the two sets of teeth, is a reversible and common condition.

5. If the child lets the tooth come out on its own, expect to see very little blood. Children who have waited the proper amount of time for their old tooth to fall out (sometimes as much as 2 to 3 months), there should be very little blood.

6. If the tooth is still loose but not extracted after 2 to 3 months, see a dentist. A dentist will be able to administer a topical painkiller and extract the tooth with the appropriate instruments.

7. When the tooth comes out on its own, hold a piece of gauze over the extraction site. Tell the child to bite down lightly on the gauze. A new blood clot should start forming in the extraction site.

Removing Teeth in Adults
1. Try to figure out why your tooth needs pulling.

2. Schedule an appointment with your doctor. Do not try to extract the tooth on your own. It's far safer to let a professional dentist extract the tooth than try to be macho and do it on your own. In addition to being safer, it will also be much less painful.

3. Allow the dentist to give you local anesthetic to numb the area of the tooth.

4. Allow the dentist to extract the tooth.

5. Allow a blood clot to form over the extraction site.

6. In the days following the extraction, take care to let your clot heal.

Medically Unqualified Home Remedies
1. Use a bit of gauze and lightly wiggle the tooth back and forth.

2. Have the person bite down on an apple. Biting down on an apple can be a good way to pull a tooth, especially for children. Biting down on an apple is more effective for teeth in the front than it is for teeth in the back.