Have You Ever Heard of the Montana Tooth Pull? [WATCH]
A viral video from a few years ago recently resurfaced. The video shows a kid named Calvin giving a presentation on the 'Montana Tooth Pull."
The video gives me flashbacks of when I was a kid and had a loose tooth. My parents used to tie a string around my tooth and then tie it around a doorknob. My dad would slam the door, and my tooth would come flying out. One time my dad attached the string to the hitch on his Ford Bronco. That's a fun memory.
I had a similar experience when I was in school. I had a tooth that was really loose, and my second grade teacher just tied a piece of string around it and yanked it out. Thinking back, the experience was pretty traumatic.
The 'Montana Tooth Pull' apparently consists of tying a string around your tooth, and the other end around the tip of an arrow. In the video, Calvin is holding a bow & arrow. He pulls back the draw string and fires the arrow. That pesky loose tooth is no longer a problem for Calvin.
According to experts, tying a loose tooth to something isn't really safe. Instead, if you want to help your child remove a loose tooth, use a piece of gauze and gently pull the tooth while doing a wiggling motion. You shouldn’t have to use much force at all, so if doesn’t come out with a gentle pull, it probably isn’t ready yet.
On the Colgate website, they advise letting the tooth fall out naturally.
In general, if you and your child can handle the inconvenience, it's best not to pull a loose tooth, but rather let them wiggle it until it falls out on its own. This will minimize the pain and bleeding associated with the loss of the tooth. If there is ever any concern about a loose tooth, consulting your dentist is the best course of action.